Chelsea boss wary of £5m Nottingham Forest dangerman as he hails Nuno Espirito Santo

Chelsea boss wary of £5m Nottingham Forest dangerman as he hails Nuno Espirito Santo

Before Saturday’s Premier League match against Nottingham Forest,

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was sure to field questions about one player in particular.

Indeed, Maresca did not waste any time in emphasizing that his Chelsea team

would need to play their best defense in order to prevent a well-known player from scoring.

After all, Callum Hudson-Odoi returned to haunt his former employers in the previous season.

Hudson-Odoi, who was sold by the London giants for a knock-down price of £5 million just over a year ago,

curled home a stunning goal as Nottingham Forest fell short against

a Chelsea team captained by Mauricio Pochettino in May.

But recently, the England international has occasionally had to make do with a supersub role.

Last month, Nuno Espirito Santo chose to start Nicolas Dominguez and Elliot Anderson as wide midfielders as Nottingham Forest shocked Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield.

Nottingham Forest and Callum Hudson-Odoi have the Chelsea manager on edge.

That day, Hudson-Odoi, who had been on the bench, scored Forest’s first away goal against the six-time European winners since 1969.

Nuno might be enticed to try the same strategy against Chelsea, who frequently expose themselves to fast counterattacks.

Nuno’s opposite number, however, was quick to point out that Hudson-Odoi is not Forest’s only offensive threat. Instead, he believes Chelsea’s attack-minded full-backs need to be aware of the possibility that the Cobham graduate may launch one of his signature blistering runs down the flank.

Enzo Maresca praises the Forest group and Nuno Espirito Santo

After winning their most recent visit to the blue area of West London, Nottingham Forest will make their way to Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

In September 2023, Anthony Elanga scored the game-winning goal to surprise Chelsea.

Nuno used the former Manchester United speedster as a game-changer off the bench in that Liverpool victory, and the Forest manager must decide whether to reserve both Elanga and Hudson-Odoi for Chelsea.

The return of talisman Morgan Gibbs-White will undoubtedly help the two-time European champions. After being suspended for their 1-0 loss to Fulham last Saturday, the formerly unbeaten Forest team lacked creativity without their main creator.

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