Chelsea v Nottingham Forest LIVE: Result and final score after Blues frustrated by 10-man visitors
James Ward-Prowse was sent off in the second half but Chelsea could not capitalise as Forest held on for a point
Chelsea’s winning run in the Premier League was brought to an end by 10-man Nottingham Forest who battled to a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge to maintain their own strong start to the season.
Enzo Maresca’s side were chasing a fourth victory in a row to shore up their place in the top four but needed a brilliant solo equaliser from Noni Madueke to cancel out Chris Wood’s goal early in the second half.
Thereafter Chelsea bombarded the visitors and looked likely to go on and win when James Ward-Prowse was dismissed for handling the ball as Nicolas Jackson threatened to race through on goal.
But Forest, who also lost England forward Morgan Gibbs-White to injury, survived a frantic 13 minutes of stoppage time, during which goalkeepers Robert Sanchez and Matz Sels produced remarkable saves, to leave with a point.
Chelsea 0-0 Nottingham Forest
10 min: Chelsea have been the more dominant side so far but Forest have sounded a little warning with a cross aimed at the far post for Wood, which is just about dealt with.
Chelsea 0-0 Nottingham Forest
7 min: Good, aggressive defending by Wesley Fofana, who wrestles the ball off Forest striker Chris Wood, one of the strongest forward players in the league, and clears away any danger.
Chelsea 0-0 Nottingham Forest
5 min: The crowd crackles as Cole Palmer receives the ball for the first time, a long way out from goal. There is just a buzz about him right now.
Chelsea 0-0 Nottingham Forest
2 min: Chelsea have started brightly as Jadon Sancho tries to feed Nicolas Jackson with a pass in behind the deep Forest defence. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side appear to have come to defend the box for their lives.
Chelsea v Nottingham Forest – Premier League live
Here we go then, the players are out on the pitch on a mild October’s day in west London. Can Chelsea keep pace with the Premier League’s leading three?
Nuno Espirito Santo: ‘Gibbs-White can produce something special'
“The big issue in football, finding the balance between work in both boxes. We are producing a lot of situations and we should be more clinical. I believe we will improve. We need to stick with our plan and stay compact.
“Very important to have [Morgan Gibbs-White] back, he is a special player for us. The team relies on him to produce things. I’m happy for him to be called up by England again.”
James Ward-Prowse: ‘I’ve had some joy here so hopefully I can keep that up’
“Every game in the Premier League is tough. We’re well aware of their qualities and the form that they’re in but we’ve been good on the road so far and hopefully we can keep that up today.
“It’s always been a good place to play. It’s a famous stadium and a big club to play against. I’ve had some joy here before so hopefully I can keep that up in a Forest shirt.
“When you come to a big team like this, you know you’re going to need to have things go your way. It’s about using our strengths and limiting theirs.”
Cole Palmer: ‘Forest are a different challenge'
“Forest are a completely different team [compared to Brighton],” Palmer tells PLTV. “These like to sit back so we will have to try and break them down. They’re a good team, they’ve only lost one game so it will be hard. They’ve got quality up front and they’re well organised.
“I’ve watched the goals this week a few times, but it’s at the back of my mind now. It’s all about Forest. We’ve got confidence and we just have to try to keep winning.”
Maresca: Chelsea can flourish now transfer noise has quietened down
The manager said the team’s identity was clear after winning five consecutive games in all competitions with different starting lineups.
“For the first two months, there was a lot of noise around the club. Hopefully, we can continue with the way we are now,” Maresca said.
“I was not here last year. The only thing I can say is since we started, I like to be focused and in control. The only part I can control is the football side.
“All the noises around the club are something I cannot control, I don’t care about it. I’m already thinking about how we can prepare for the game.”
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