Premier League: Enzo Maresca Calls On Goal-Happy Chelsea To Tighten Up Versus Nottingham Forest

Maresca has made a strong start to life at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues unbeaten in five Premier League matches (four wins, one draw) since a matchday one defeat to Manchester City.

No team's Premier League games have produced more goals than Chelsea's so far in 2024-25, with Maresca's men scoring 15 times and conceding seven.

Forest's games, meanwhile, have contained the fewest goals of any side in the top flight (11, six for and five against).

Chelsea edged another goalfest on Thursday as they beat Gent 4-2 in the Europa Conference League, leading Maresca to call for defensive improvements. 

"I think we are performing very positively, especially in attack, it's going very well so we are happy," Maresca said.

"As I said many times already, for sure there are always things we can do better. We can attack better, we can defend much better.

"But the most important thing we can learn is that we cannot switch off. For their second goal, we saw that the game was already finished. 

"If we want to take a step forward, even when you the game is almost finished, you have to continue and not give away another goal, but it was a good performance and result. 

Forest, meanwhile, saw their unbeaten start to the campaign halted by Fulham last time out, losing 1-0 in the absence of star midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, who was suspended after being sent off at Brighton one week earlier.

The England international has told BBC Sport he is working on controlling his temperament, saying: "If I'm at 70% or 60% going into a game, I can't play like that. 

"I have to be 150% all the time. I always have to be on it and I like the feeling of having control in a game.

"Sometimes when we're having none of the ball I get frustrated, but that's when the control comes in and to understand what the manager wants from this moment."

PLAYERS TO WATCH 

Chelsea – Cole Palmer

Palmer became the first player in Premier League history to score four times in the first half of a game as Chelsea beat Brighton 4-2 last week. 

Since his debut for Chelsea in September last year (a home defeat to Forest), Cole Palmer has been involved in more Premier League goals than any other player (43 – 28 goals, 15 assists). 

Nottingham Forest – James Ward-Prowse

Forest may need some dead-ball magic if they are to earn a result, and specialist Ward-Prowse has a fine record against the Blues.

Ward-Prowse has been involved in four goals in his last five Premier League starts against Chelsea (two goals, two assists), netting the winner on his last start at Stamford Bridge with Southampton in April 2023.

MATCH PREDICTION – CHELSEA WIN

Forest won this exact fixture 1-0 last season – only once have they ever won consecutive away league games against Chelsea, doing so on their first two visits to Stamford Bridge in 1907 and 1908.

Indeed, Chelsea have won just one of their four Premier League meetings with Forest since the latter returned to the top-flight in 2022 (two draws, one loss), though it was a 3-2 victory in the teams' last such game in May.

However, since their return to the competition, no team has lost more Premier League away games in London than Forest (10). 

They have lost each of their last four in the capital, conceding three or more goals each time, which will give an in-form Blues attack plenty of confidence.

Chelsea have won nine of their last 11 Premier League games (one draw, one defeat), netting at least twice in eight of those nine victories. Indeed, the Blues are the top scorers in the league this season (15) and also have the highest shot conversion rate (20.3%).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

Chelsea – 62.3%

Nottingham Forest – 17.8%

Draw – 19.8%