Sunday’s showdown between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea is just as big as the Europa League final. It may not come with silverware but there’s a whole lot of Champions League riches riding on it.
Forest have the chance to sit at European football’s top table for the first time since the days of Brian Clough. Even if they miss out on a top-five spot they deserve great credit after finishing last season 17th, and overcoming financial restrictions this season.
For Chelsea, it would be unthinkable not to be in the Champions League after spending more than a billion pounds under their new ownership.
Forest will go after Chelsea with high energy, roared on by a ferocious City Ground crowd. They will make Chelsea’s players feel like they are in a washing machine whenever they have the ball.
Then they must do what they have done so many times this season, breaking at speed in numbers through Anthony Elanga and Morgan Gibbs-White.
Forest’s paper-thin squad has caught up with them. If they don’t make it, Nuno Espirito Santo will rue failing to win any of their previous three home games.
Chelsea are at their best when they stretch teams and give more space to Cole Palmer (left)
Blues boss Enzo Maresca is under huge pressure to deliver Champions League qualification
Nottingham Forest can use the pace of Anthony Elanga (left) to hurt Chelsea on Sunday
On Sunday, they must turn the City Ground back into the fortress it was when they won nine out of 12 home games between October and April, beating Manchester City and United and drawing with Arsenal and Liverpool.
Chelsea have won four of their last five league games but are severely hampered by the absence of Nicolas Jackson. His movement in behind has been critical to giving Cole Palmer the space and options to work his magic. No Chelsea player has made more high-intensity runs in the league this season. Without Jackson, they become too predictable in wide areas.
When he missed five games earlier in the season with a hamstring injury, Chelsea lost three of them, their only wins coming against Southampton and Leicester.
The Blues are without Jackson after the centre forward was sent off against Newcastle
Regardless of Sunday’s result, it has been a brilliant season for Nuno Espirito Santo’s Forest
Christopher Nkunku has not convinced, too often drifting towards the ball instead of running in behind. Academy graduate Tyrique George gave a welcome balance against United last week and brings a similar threat to Jackson.
Both teams will need to keep their heads tomorrow. The crowd will give away what is happening elsewhere and clear messages from the bench will help.
When Arsenal lost the league to United on the final day in 1999, we played Aston Villa and heard rumblings from the crowd when Spurs went in front at Old Trafford. In our match, we struggled to finish Villa off. You must make sure you do your job.
