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Player Ratings: Taiwo Awoniyi shines as Nottingham Forest stun Chelsea
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- Player Ratings: Taiwo Awoniyi shines as Nottingham Forest stun Chelsea
Player Ratings: Taiwo Awoniyi shines as Nottingham Forest stun Chelsea
Player Ratings: Chelsea 1-3 Nottingham Forest
Chelsea's grim Premier League run continued at Stamford Bridge as Nottingham Forest produced a ruthless, composed and hugely significant 3-1 victory. For Forest, this was the sort of afternoon that can tilt a relegation fight. For Chelsea, it was another damaging entry in a season drifting further from its stated ambitions.
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Vitor Pereira made eight changes with one eye on Thursday's Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa , yet his side looked sharper, clearer and more committed from the opening whistle. Within two minutes, Taiwo Awoniyi had headed Forest in front after Dilane Bakwa beat Marc Cucurella and delivered a teasing cross into the area.
Chelsea looked rattled immediately. Forest sensed it and struck again in the 15th minute, with Malo Gusto pulling Awoniyi back as he attacked another Bakwa delivery. After a VAR check, Igor Jesus stepped up and converted the penalty straight down the middle. Gusto may consider himself fortunate that the punishment did not extend beyond the spot kick.
Chelsea Waste Their Route Back
There were chances for Chelsea to regain control. Enzo Fernandez hit the post, while Jesse Derry , making his first senior start, won a penalty after a worrying head collision with Zach Abbott . The 18 year old winger was later taken to hospital, bringing a sobering edge to an already difficult afternoon.
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Cole Palmer had the chance to change the rhythm of the match before half time, but Matz Sels guessed correctly and pushed his low penalty away at full stretch. It summed up Chelsea's day, plenty of possession, flashes of technical quality, yet very little conviction when the match demanded composure.
Interim head coach Calum McFarlane, taking charge at Stamford Bridge for the first time after Liam Rosenior's dismissal, introduced Liam Delap and Levi Colwill at the interval. Any hope of a revival disappeared seven minutes into the second half. Morgan Gibbs-White , introduced from the bench, slid a low cross into the path of Awoniyi, who tapped in his second goal of the game.
Photo: IMAGO
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Awoniyi Leads Forest Survival Push
Forest's win moves them six points clear of the relegation zone, and it was built on simplicity, aggression and clarity. Awoniyi bullied Chelsea's back line, Bakwa stretched the pitch intelligently, and Sels delivered a decisive performance in goal.
Chelsea did eventually score, avoiding the unwanted club record of six consecutive league games without a goal. Joao Pedro , their best attacking outlet, saw one effort ruled out for offside before producing a spectacular overhead kick in stoppage time from Marc Cucurella's assist.
It was a brilliant finish, yet it barely changed the mood. Chelsea remain ninth, 10 points off the Champions League places, and their sixth straight league defeat leaves more questions than answers. Forest, meanwhile, left west London with three points, renewed belief and a reminder that even rotated sides can carry purpose when the structure is right.
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Player Ratings
Chelsea:Robert Sanchez 3Malo Gusto 4Trevoh Chalobah 5Tosin Adarabioyo 4Marc Cucurella 6Romeo Lavia 5Moises Caicedo 6Enzo Fernandez 6Cole Palmer 4Jesse Derry 6Joao Pedro 8
Nottingham Forest:Matz Sels 8Zach Abbott 6Jair Cunha 6Morato 7Luca Netz 7Ryan Yates 7Nicolas Dominguez 6James McAtee 7Dilane Bakwa 8Igor Jesus 7Taiwo Awoniyi 9
