Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest LIVE! Premier League match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction

Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest LIVE!

The Blues are ticking along well under Enzo Maresca and welcome Forest to Stamford Bridge this afternoon looking for a sixth straight win across all competitions. Cole Palmer’s remarkable, and record-breaking, first-half four-goal haul took the plaudits last week, and looks primed to plunder more goals against today’s inconsistent vistors.

A statement win at Anfield is a clear highlight of Forest’s Premier League season so far, but otherwise they have largely struggled to pick up points, drawing with the likes of Wolves and Brighton before losing at home to Fulham last time out. Morgan Gibbs-White is back from suspension in a welcome boost.

Enzo Maresca is against without injured captain Reece James, but the right-back appears to be the only injury absence for the Blues boss, with Carney Chukwuemeka back in contention after a fitness concern. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis from Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest latest updates

• Kick-off time: 2pm, Stamford Bridge

• How to watch: No UK TV coverage

• Chelsea XI: Palmer returns in 11 changes made

• Nottm Forest XI: Gibbs-White and Hudson-Odoi start

• Score prediction: Chelsea make it six on the spin

13:29 , Alex Young

Half an hour until kick-off and the players have had a good look at the pitch. I do not think it will be entirely straightforward for Chelsea today.

Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge

13:19 , Alex Young

A big opportunity for Callum Hudson-Odoi to impress against his former team today as he returns to the Bridge.

But Enzo Maresca insisted ahead of this match that there are plenty of other dangerous players for Chelsea to be wary of, and he's right.

Chris Wood has been great goalscoring form this season, with Morgan Gibbs-White now a fully fledged England international.

13:08 , Alex Young

It’s the full 11 changes for Chelsea, as expected. Maresca insists there is not a Premier League XI and a separate Conference League XI, but that clearly isn’t true.

Nottingham Forest make just the two changes as Gibbs-White returns from suspended to start, and joins former Chelsea man Hudson-Odoi in the line-up. Dominguez and Awoniyi make way.

Team news in full

12:55 , Alex Young

Chelsea XI: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez; Madueke, Palmer, Sancho; Jackson

Subs: Jorgensen, Disasi, Tosin, Veiga, Lavia, Neto, Mudryk, Felix, Nkunku

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels, Murillo, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Wood, Hudson-Odoi, Ward-Prowse, Moreno, Yates, Milenkovic, Aina

Subs: Miguel, Morato, Williams, Awoniyi, Dominguez, Jota, Elanga, Sosa, Boly

Nottingham Forest XI

12:49 , Alex Young

...and the visitors!

Chelsea XI

12:49 , Alex Young

As expected.

Dom Smith at Stamford Bridge

12:40

Jadon Sancho is catching up with Anthony Elanga on the pitch at Stamford Bridge.

It’s fair to say both seem to be enjoying life away from Old Trafford at the moment.

12:25 , Alex Young

We’re not expecting too many changes from Maresca from the win over Brighton.

Palmer should have shaken off any niggling fitness concern. That’s the hope, at least...

Enzo Maresca: I need time to return Chelsea to the top

12:10 , Alex Young

Enzo Maresca insists Chelsea cannot compete with Manchester City and Arsenal yet, because he has only been in post a matter of months.

The Chelsea boss took over at Stamford Bridge in July and has turned the club’s fortunes around quickly. They sit fourth in the Premier League, just two points off leaders Liverpool, and are the top-flight’s most in-form team.

Chelsea made it five wins in a row in all competitions on Thursday night when they beat Belgian side Gent 4-2 in the Conference League, and they return to league action on Sunday when they host Nottingham Forest, who are 10th.

But Maresca believes he has not been at the helm long enough for Chelsea to compete for silverware with the league’s most consistent teams in recent seasons.

“I really don’t think we can compete with City and Arsenal,” he said. “I really think that, because we are not ready.

“The reason why is — and I said many times — City is working with the same manager for nine years; Arsenal is working with the same manager for five years. If you want to compete for important things, you need that time.

“After Arsenal-PSG, they asked the same to Luis Enrique, and Luis Enrique said: ‘The difference between us and them is that Arsenal had the same manager for five years and we are a year-and-a-half.’ For me? Three months.

“So it is a huge difference. I’m really convinced that we cannot compete with that club. The target is to improve and slowly, slowly to go close to that club. We are not, in this moment, ready for that.”

Read more here!

Score prediction

11:59 , Alex Young

Forest are certain not to be open as Brighton were last weekend, and it is likely to be a tight contest throughout, with there only being 11 goals in the Reds’ six league games so far.

However, Chelsea, and Palmer in particular, are on a hot streak, and should have enough to come away with another three points that will keep them right amongst it at the top of the table.

Chelsea to win 2-1.

Nottigham Forest team news

11:52 , Alex Young

The big news for Nottingham Forest is the return of Morgan Gibbs-White to the side.

The England midfielder missed last weekend’s loss to Fulham following his red card against Brighton the week before.

Otherwise, there is no new injuries, with long-term absentees Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare still on the sidelines.

Chelsea team news

11:44 , Alex Young

Chelsea will welcome back Cole Palmer when Enzo Maresca recalls his big guns today.

The Blues made 11 changes for Thursday’s 4-2 Conference League win over Gent and the likes of Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo will all return at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Palmer scored four goals in last weekend’s 4-2 win over Brighton but got a rest in midweek after Chelsea left him out of their European squad.

Reece James remains sidelined with a hamstring issue but Maresca has no fresh injury concerns, though Carney Chukwuemeka missed the Gent win through illness.

Robert Sanchez will return in goal after Filip Jorgensen started on Thursday, while Malo Gusto, Wesley Fofana, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella will come back into defence.

Noni Madueke and Jadon Sancho are likely to flank Palmer in his No10 role behind Nicolas Jackson.

How to watch Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest

11:35 , Alex Young

Fans in the UK hoping to watch live coverage of Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest this afternoon will be left disappointed, with the game not being televised on these shores.

That is because it was originally supposed to take place at 3pm BST on Saturday afternoon, only to be moved to a 2pm Sunday slot as the result of Chelsea’s involvement in the Conference League proper on Thursday nights, confirmed after their play-off win over Swiss side Servette.

That initial kick-off time would have seen it fall during the Saturday 3pm TV blackout still imposed across English football, and under current rules that means it still cannot be shown live despite the move.

Highlights will also be available on Match of the Day 2, which is being screened at 10:30pm BST on Sunday night on BBC One.

Welcome

11:29 , Alex Young

Good morning and welcome to the Standard’s LIVE coverage of the Premier League clash between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest.

The Blues are sitting pretty in the top four after a quietly impressive season so far, though have lost their only game against a fellow Big Six side in Man City on the opening day.

Forest have also been plugging along well, losing just once all season and that came last time out against Fulham.

It’s all set up to be an intriguing encounter at Stamford Bridge. Kick-off is at 2pm.