Chelsea will be at the centre of a dramatic final day in the Premier League when they travel to Nottingham Forest.
On Sunday afternoon, Chelsea will wrap up their season in the Premier League at the City Ground against Nottingham Forest.
There is a cluster of clubs that can still finish inside the top five positions, which will secure qualification for next season’s Champions League. Incidentally, the Blues are attempting to return to Europe’s elite club competition after missing out in the previous two years.
Jamie Carragher’s prediction for the top-five race is that Chelsea and Forest will both miss out on the Champions League by drawing on the final day. If that happens, it could pave the way for Newcastle United, Manchester City and Aston Villa to join Arsenal and champions Liverpool in the top five.
Jason Cundy urges Enzo Maresca to start Cole Palmer down the middle
Perhaps the biggest decision for Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca ahead of the trip to Forest is selecting who starts as the central striker. With Nicolas Jackson still unavailable through suspension, all eyes will be on the No 9 position.
Tyrique George struggled against Manchester United, having filled in to lead the line in last Friday’s vital league win
According to Jason Cundy, Maresca should mix it up by pushing Cole Palmer further up the pitch to start as the centre-forward in the Forest showdown.
Cundy told talkSPORT: “Who do you start with up top? Tyrique George started against Man Utd, and I felt a bit sorry for him. I thought the game was too big for him. Clearly he’s a talented boy who’s going to have a very bright future… Personally, I go Palmer. I keep the wide men the same… That’s what I would have started with against Utd.”
Of course, Chelsea talisman Palmer is one of the first names in the starting line-up. The team’s attacking play is usually built around him in a central No 10 position, though.
We’ve occasionally seen the 23-year-old playmaker occupy a false-nine position, but it would be a major call from the manager to use him there against Forest in the biggest game of the season.
He’s on a run of one goal and zero assists in his previous five Premier League appearances, so perhaps a fresh change could help.
If the Forest centre-backs had the choice of directly coming up against Palmer or George, they would choose the latter every single time.
Enzo Maresca suggested Tyrique George could play striker again
George, who’s a winger by trade, put in a spirited effort in the victory against Man Utd. However, the 19-year-old academy graduate didn’t get too much of a sniff in front of goal.
| Minutes played | Goals | Assists | Total shots | Chances created | Accurate passes | Match rating |
| 81 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5/8 (63%) | 6.6 |
In his post-match interview, Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca praised Tyrique George for his contribution against Man Utd. In fact, he even admitted he would “absolutely” be prepared to let him lead the line again next weekend.
It’s been claimed that Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu may return for Nottingham Forest. If either Blues attacker is fit enough to start on Sunday, we think that could be the best solution instead.
