Nuno Espírito Santo also speaks to Sky Sports. “We are determined to play a good game … enjoy but competing well, that’s the priority … be a good team … compact … brave … dominant … a team that plays good! … it will be very hard [not to follow other results] but that would be perfect … stick to the task … ignore what is going on outside … that is not the reality so we have to try to shield the team … the energy of the crowd … put it onto the pitch so we can together enjoy the game.”
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca talks to Sky Sports. “The focus on us has to be the main target … it depends on us … play the game … do the things we have done all season … try to win the game … at this stage we have the privilege that it depends on us … we do not need to watch the other ones … nobody on the bench with a mobile … [qualification for the Champions League] would be a huge boost … we have been there all season … hopefully we can have a nice day.”
The equation is simple for Nottingham Forest. They have to win if they’re to have any chance of competing for Old Big Ears for the first time since the days of Old Big ‘Ead. Even then, they’ll require either Newcastle United or Aston Villa to fail to win. A draw could be enough for Chelsea, but they’d be banking on Newcastle losing at home to Everton or Villa failing to win at Manchester United. A win will see Chelsea right no matter what, thanks to their superior goal difference over Villa (unless Unai Emery’s side break their club-record win of 13-0 against Wednesdbury Old Athletic in the first round of the FA Cup in 1886, but let’s cross that bridge when we come to it). Defeat for Chelsea and they are jiggered.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Liverpool | 37 | 45 | 83 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 37 | 34 | 71 |
| 3 | Man City | 37 | 26 | 68 |
| 4 | Newcastle | 37 | 22 | 66 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 37 | 20 | 66 |
| 6 | Aston Villa | 37 | 9 | 66 |
| 7 | Nottm Forest | 37 | 13 | 65 |
| 8 | Brighton | 37 | 4 | 58 |
| 9 | Brentford | 37 | 9 | 55 |
| 10 | Fulham | 37 | 2 | 54 |
| 11 | AFC Bournemouth | 37 | 10 | 53 |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | 37 | 0 | 52 |
| 13 | Everton | 37 | -3 | 45 |
| 14 | Wolverhampton | 37 | -15 | 41 |
| 15 | West Ham | 37 | -18 | 40 |
| 16 | Man Utd | 37 | -12 | 39 |
| 17 | Tottenham Hotspur | 37 | 2 | 38 |
| 18 | Leicester | 37 | -45 | 25 |
| 19 | Ipswich | 37 | -44 | 22 |
| 20 | Southampton | 37 | -59 | 12 |
Nottingham Forest are in If It Ain’t Broke Mode. They won their last game 2-1 at West Ham United, so name exactly the same starting XI.
Chelsea won their last game too, 1-0 at home to Manchester United. They make one change, though, Jadon Sancho returning at the expense of Tyrique George, who drops to the bench.
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Dominguez, Sangare, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Wood, Elanga.
Subs: Carlos Miguel, Morato, Hudson-Odoi, Toffolo, Jota Silva, Yates, Sosa, Danilo, Boly.
Chelsea: Sanchez, James, Adarabioyo, Colwill, Cucurella, Fernandez, Caicedo, Madueke, Palmer, Sancho, Pedro Neto.
Subs: Jorgensen, Badiashile, Dewsbury-Hall, Chalobah, Gusto, George, Acheampong, Guiu, Lavia.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).
Kick off is at 4pm BST. It’s on!