Chelsea returned to the top four with a comfortable 3-0 win away at Nottingham Forest, with Josh Achiampong, Pedro Neto and Reece James all on target for the Blues.
Chelsea returned to the top four of the Premier League with an important win at Nottingham Forest.
The Blues turned the game around in the second half with goals from Josh Achiampong, Pedro Neto and Reece James in the afternoon, and the home side sacked Ange Postecoglou immediately after the game.
Chelsea struggled in the first half, with key player Moises Caicedo starting on the bench and Enzo Fernandes also absent due to a knee injury. To add insult to injury, Enzo Maresca was supposed to have been giving instructions to the bench throughout the game, but he was given a one-match touchline ban, limiting his influence on the game.
A regrouping was needed after the break and that’s exactly what happened. Marc Giu, Moises Caicedo and Jamie Gittens were all brought on and the team quickly sparked a turnaround.
read more: Chels take action over Cole Palmer injury verdict after Enzo Maresca’s hospitalizationread more: Chelsea move closer to sacking Ange Postecoglou with Nottingham Forest win – 5 talking points
Acheampong broke the deadlock with a header from Pedro Neto’s cross, and just three minutes later Neto himself extended Chelsea’s lead to two points with a free-kick from Reece James. Since then, it’s been smooth sailing for visitors to Nottingham.
James added a third goal late in the game, volleying past Sels, sealing Chelsea’s victory. However, the drama continued as Maro Gusto received a red card, Chelsea’s fifth red card in six games in all competitions, including Maresca’s sending off.
Here’s how Bobby Vincent rated the Blues’ performance today out of 10 for each player.
Robert Sanchez – 6
Forest had a few chances in the first half, but there wasn’t much the Spanish keeper could do.
Reece James – 8
It was great to see him back and fit for his 200th appearance for the club after a minor injury. He put in a great performance and showed off his best technical skills, including a great volley to round off the Blues’ scoring.
top notch.
Josh Achiampong – 8
He showed an impressive performance against Liverpool and secured his place. Once again he took the ball calmly.
He was lucky to escape around the 20 minute mark, when Forest were failing to capitalize on their chances.
Despite this small failure, he responded admirably. The 19-year-old defender broke the deadlock at the City Ground early in the second half with a header past Mats Sells.
This was Achiampong’s first goal as a senior, and what a moment it was.
Trevor Chalobah – 5
Returning from suspension. He showed his physical presence early on with two big headers in quick succession.
But a few careless passes gave Forest hope. It wasn’t his best day.
Marc Cucurella – 6
Very little play went through Cucurella, which is unusual for Chelsea. However, the Spaniard was as confident on the ball as always.
He also reignited an old rivalry with Neco Williams.
Maro Gusto – 2
After showing a good performance against Liverpool, he continued to play in midfield, but unfortunately he was robbed of the ball early on, creating a half-chance for Forest. His possession was sloppy and to make matters worse, he received an unnecessary red card with the game already decided.
Romeo Lavia – 5
Making his first start since June, he uncharacteristically failed to control a simple pass from Acheampong, creating a great chance for Morgan Gibbs-White, but he narrowly missed the target. He was substituted at half-time.
Pedro Neto – 6
After passing a late fitness test, he showed sharpness from the start, creating chances with deft dribbling around the Forest box.
Andrei Santos – 5
Making his second start of the season, he was quiet for the first 40 minutes before suddenly bursting into life with two quick chances. However, the Brazilian failed to hit either shot on target and was substituted at half-time.
Alejandro Garnacho – 4
The Argentine, who started his third game in a row, looked sluggish and could not contribute much for Chelsea on the left flank. It wasn’t his best afternoon and no wonder he was substituted at half-time.
Joao Pedro – 6
The Brazilian has struggled to participate in matches, which has been a recurring problem of late. Chelsea seem to be missing a true number one.
9th place at the moment, someone like Liam Delap. However, when Giu was introduced in the second half and dropped deep, he improved greatly.
Huge Premier League kit and merchandise sale
various
fanatic
Click here to purchase sale items
Fanatics has slashed prices on football kits and merchandise from Premier League clubs including Man United, Man City, Liverpool, Everton, Arsenal, Spurs and more.
subscription
Marc Giu (played in the 46th minute for Santos) – 7
It was nice to see him make significant time in the match. He really made a difference.
A great turn from Giu earned him a free kick which led to Neto’s goal. he was feeling really good.
Moises Caicedo (used in Lavia 46′) – 7
Considering his performance in the first half, his inclusion was absolutely necessary. It was as if his presence alone could change the game.
With the Ecuadorian on the pitch, Chelsea suddenly looked like a completely different team in midfield.
Jamie Gittens (Garnacho 46 minutes) – 6
He introduced solid defensive shifts. His attentiveness and work rate thwarted a promising chance that developed in the 61st minute.
Estevao Willian (played in 78 minutes for Neto) – N/A.
It’s a little surprising that he didn’t start after his excellent performance against Liverpool, but it makes sense given the extensive travel he had to undertake. He didn’t have enough time to make an impact.
Tosin Adarabioyo (played in the 81st minute for Acheampong) – N/A
It’s great to have him back from injury.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive Mirror Football content every day. Community members also receive special offers, promotions, and advertisements from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check it out whenever you like. If you are interested, please read our privacy notice.
Sky Sports Premier League and EFL package discounts
£49
£35
sky
Get the deal here
Sky has reduced the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £336 on their bill and offering more than 1,400 live matches from Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will broadcast at least 215 live Premier League matches next season, with an increase of up to 100 more.
