Chelsea’s chances of finishing in the top five are mathematically over after they fell to a 3-1 defeat at home to a Nottingham Forest team much-changed as they prepare for their Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa on Thursday.
Full debutant Jesse Derry and goalkeeper Robert Sanchez were both brought off due to head injuries in a game won by goals for Forest by Taiwo Awoniyi (two) and Igor Jesus.
Cole Palmer missed a penalty for the Blues who only found the net in stoppage time, as Joao Pedro scored an acrobatic bicycle kick.
Dom Smith was at Stamford Bridge to rate the Chelsea players’ performances…
Robert Sanchez 4
Made one decent save but conceded three goals and played on poor pass. Subbed off in the second half due to a clash of heads with Morgan Gibbs-White.
Did well from a pass from Sanchez that sold him short but offered very little by way of attacking output. A terrible decision to tug down Awoniyi saw him concede a penalty.
Tosin Adarabioyo 3
Subbed off at half-time following a very unconvincing first-half display.
Trevoh Chalobah 4
Run ragged by Forest. On the ball, he was useful in possession but cannot escape his part to play in a defence that was all at sea.
Marc Cucurella 3
An error-prone afternoon from the Spaniard, who has been off form for some weeks now.
Moises Caicedo 4
Picked up his tenth yellow card of the league season on an afternoon were Forest had the beating of the Blues all ends up.
Romeo Lavia 5
One of the better players on display for a truly rotten Chelsea at the Bridge. Then substituted.
Cole Palmer 3
Had one late shot well saved by Sels but that didn’t save him from being one of the least effective players on the pitch. Missed a penalty in front of the England head coach.
Enzo Fernandez 5
Hit the post early on and put in a big shift but could not avoid Chelsea’s hefty defeat.
Jesse Derry 6
One of the only Chelsea players who took risks. Impressed in fits and starts on his full debut but was then stretchered off after a dangerous head collision which ended his afternoon prematurely.
Joao Pedro 7
Held the ball up one, had one nice run, and scored a close-range header disallowed for a marginal offside. Then scored a stoppage-time consolation with a magnificent bicycle kick.
Subs:
Liam Delap (Derry, 45+9’) 4
Brought on after Derry was stretchered off. Worked hard but it didn’t fall for him - again.
Levi Colwill (Tosin, 46’) 4
Came on for his first appearance of the season after his injury hell. That in itself was a success.
Andrey Santos (Lavia, 58’) 4
Brought on to steady the ship in midfield. That didn’t happen.
Filip Jorgensen (Sanchez, 65’) 4
Didn’t have much to do when he came on once Chelsea were already 3-0 down.
Not used: Essugo, Hato, James, Fofana
