Rarely-seen Nottingham Forest man can save Ange Postecoglou from sack vs Chelsea
Ange Postecoglou is coming up against Chelsea at the worst time as the Nottingham Forest boss continues the search for his first win.
Forest lost 2-0 to Newcastle United before the international break, making it seven games without a victory in all competitions, form which has seen them fall to 17th in the Premier League table.
Postecoglou was already facing sack calls from the supporters after the defeat to Midtjylland at the City Ground, and many have already lost all belief in the former Tottenham manager.
Now, he must face an in-form Chelsea side on Saturday, 18 October, who are fresh off beating Liverpool in dramatic fashion, seeing them rise to within five points of first-place Arsenal.
Ange Postecoglou is on the verge of losing his job
Football Insider understands that links to Sean Dyche are unsettling Postecoglou, and that is hardly surprising given that the Australian is already under heavy pressure after arriving last month.
The Reds have scored just seven goals in their last seven games, while also conceding 15 goals, so it is looking highly likely that Evangelos Marinakis will be searching for another manager soon.
However, pulling off an unlikely win against the Blues this weekend could offer him some kind of salvation at the City Ground, and one player in his squad knows a thing or two about the London club.
Former Man City gem, James McAtee, has just 127 minutes of Premier League under his belt since arriving this summer, but he could be the difference between Postecoglou keeping his job or not.
James McAtee can be a secret weapon against Chelsea
Enzo Maresca is banned from the touchline, and his team facing McAtee without him there to defend against it would not be ideal for the former Leicester City boss.
Due to his previous ties with the Citizens, the Chelsea manager likely knows more about the 22-year-old than his own manager does.
In four games against Chelsea’s Under-21s, McAtee has won two, drawn two, and even hit the back of the net twice, both coming during the 2021-22 campaign.
While he has only had the chance to face the Blues twice since then, coming during his loan with Sheffield United, there is no doubt that the first team’s tactics are passed down through the age groups.
McAtee also needs a chance to prove himself at the City Ground, having been signed for £30million, and he will be desperate to relive his days from the youth levels when the Blues come to visit.