Chelsea face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League as they bid to qualify for Europe, while their opponents fight for survival at Stamford Bridge
As many as 15 players could miss Chelsea’s clash against Nottingham Forest, but the Blues will hope they can welcome two players back for their Premier League clash. Chelsea play host to the relegation-threatened side at Stamford Bridge, attempting to finish on a high, but currently lie ninth in the division.
Interim head coach Calum McFarlane revealed that Levi Colwill and Reece James returned to training last week, but their availability remains uncertain heading into this afternoon’s game. The Blues boss suggested both could ‘potentially’ be in the squad.
Colwill has missed the full season after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament before the opening game of the Premier League season, while James suffered a hamstring injury in March.
Yeah, we’ve got Reece [James] back in training, Levi [Colwill] is back in training, both looking good,” said McFarlane. “A little bit away to the game, so we’ll see how they do day by day, but both are looking promising.
“We’re taking it day by day, and obviously Levi’s had a long injury. Reece had a really good run and has been injured again, and there’s a lot of games still to play, so we don’t want to push too much, but we’re just taking it day by day and see, hopefully, they come through.”
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Goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen remains out after undergoing minor surgery in March due to a groin injury. It is uncertain whether he will feature again before the end of the season.
Likewise, Jamie Gittens’ return is uncertain after he picked up a hamstring injury last month. Before he was axed, Liam Rosenior noted that he had ‘responded really well’ to a setback but they wanted to manage the injury for the long term.
Estevao Willian will miss the match after seeing his season ended due to a thigh injury, while it finally emerged that Mykhailo Mudryk has been handed a four-year ban by the FA for doping, which he is appealing.
Vitor Pereira has a longer list of concerns at Nottingham Forest. Former Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi is ruled out until the summer after undergoing surgery on a thigh injury.
He is joined on the sidelines until the end of the season by John Victor and Nicolo Savona , who have been long-term absentees. Forest have greater hope that ex-Chelsea youngster Ola Aina can play against his former team.
Aina picked up an issue during his side’s Europa League semi-final match against Aston Villa but he is determined to play. “I said to him: ‘Aina, I’m sorry, but in this moment it’s impossible to be injured,’” Pereira noted.
“I told him, at the end of the season, you can be injured, you can go do what you want, but now it is impossible because we don’t have (options). He said to me: ‘I promise you, I will be in condition (to play).’ I hope!”
Murillo, Jair Cunha , Ibrahima Sangare and Dan Ndoye could all be in contention for the game, but Pereira only offered uncertainty when assessing their chances to play against Chelsea. “I don’t know,” the head coach said.
“I’m trying to be honest, because I don’t know. I really don’t know. I must wait three days and I hope they give me good news about the injured players because we need them.”
Willy Boly remains sidelined due to a knee injury and has not featured in a Nottingham Forest squad since December.
