PREVIEW: Forest target Premier League survival at Chelsea
PREVIEW: Forest target Premier League survival at Chelsea Nottingham Forest can all but secure their top flight status for next season on Monday afternoon should they overcome ninth place Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, who are searching for points to rescue their European objectives. After Liam Rosenior was axed from the Blues dugout following the 3-0 defeat to Brighton, which made it five successive league defeats without scoring, Calum McFarlane oversaw Chelsea’s FA Cup semi-final victory over Leeds United last Sunday. Another shot at silverware lifted spirits, but the increasing concern over Chelsea’s loosening grip on the European places is what McFarlane needs to confront with four league games to play.
His side have slipped to ninth place and sit outside the European qualification places. To leave their slim hopes of Europe to the final-day permutations would only magnify the malaise haunting West London. With rumours circulating about last Sunday’s goalscorer, Enzo Fernández, considering his future at the club, the Argentine was recently spotted in the Spanish capital, accompanying Marc Cucurella and João Pedro to watch the Madrid Open tennis tournament.
McFarlane dismissed doubts about the commitment of these players and insisted it indicates the restored togetherness in his ranks. “It says a lot about the group that they go away together. I love that they spend time together.
It’s a positive sign for the unity of the group. ” Captain Reece James has been out with a hamstring injury for several weeks, while fellow defender Levi Colwill is nearing a return from his long spell on the sidelines, after suffering an ACL injury. According to McFarlane, both the homegrown Chelsea players are not ruled out entirely for Monday’s home clash and could be involved.
Nottingham Forest have far greater injury concerns of their own for the visit to Stamford Bridge with Vitor Pereira saying he was unsure on the timelines for several key players nursing minor injuries. Pereira’s men emerged from the City Ground with a 1-0 lead in their Europa League semi-final first leg against Aston Villa, although they are hoping to dodge another big blow to their defensive department. Ola Aina was substituted in the second half of Thursday night’s victory as he limped off due to injury, but Pereira seemed convinced the full-back would recover quickly.