Nottingham Forest boosted their Premier League survival hopes with an emphatic 3–1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday, dealing a serious blow to the hosts’ push for Champions League qualification.
Taiwo Awoniyi marked his 100th appearance for Forest in style, opening the scoring early on, before Igor Jesus doubled the lead from the penalty spot. Chelsea’s woes deepened when Cole Palmer missed a spot-kick late in the first half.
Awoniyi struck again after the break to all but seal the result, and although João Pedro produced a stunning late bicycle kick, it offered little consolation for a disjointed Chelsea side.
Now languishing in ninth place, Chelsea’s dismal run leaves them on the brink of missing out on next season’s Champions League. They have lost six consecutive league matches for the first time since 1993, with their late goal ending a six-game scoring drought the only bright spot in an otherwise chaotic display.
Calum McFarlane’s side sit 10 points behind fifth-placed Aston Villa with just three games remaining. While sixth place could still offer a Champions League route—depending on Villa’s Europa League success—Chelsea remain four points adrift of that position, leaving only the faintest hope.
Forest, meanwhile, have climbed six points clear of the relegation zone after securing a third straight league win, needing just four more points to guarantee survival. With only three matches left, they continue to battle clear of Tottenham and West Ham at the bottom.
Nuno Espírito Santo made eight changes to the Forest side, prioritising their Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa. The gamble paid off, extending Forest’s unbeaten run to 10 matches in all competitions and allowing them to focus on reaching their first European final since 1980.
Off the pitch, Chelsea’s instability continues to raise questions. Liam Rosenior was dismissed in April after just 106 days in charge, following Enzo Maresca’s departure in January, further highlighting the club’s turbulent campaign. McFarlane has insisted the club remains an attractive destination for managers, though performances like this may cast doubt on that claim.
Forest’s dominance was evident from the outset. They took the lead inside two minutes when Dilane Bakwa beat Marc Cucurella and delivered a cross that Awoniyi powered home from close range.
Chelsea nearly responded immediately, with Enzo Fernández striking the post, but their lack of composure proved costly again when Malo Gusto conceded a penalty. After a VAR review, Igor Jesus calmly converted from the spot.
Chelsea were handed a lifeline in stoppage time when Jesse Derry won a penalty following a collision with Zach Abbott, but Palmer’s effort was brilliantly saved by Matz Sels, drawing frustration from the home crowd.
Levi Colwill made his return from injury at half-time, but Forest continued to control proceedings. Awoniyi added his second in the 52nd minute after a precise pass from Morgan Gibbs-White, despite Chelsea’s appeals for offside.
By the time João Pedro’s acrobatic strike found the net in added time, Stamford Bridge was nearly empty—a fitting end to another miserable afternoon for Chelsea.
AFP
