Enzo Maresca had insisted this week that Chelsea are not yet ready to take on the big guns of the in a title battle. On this evidence, the Italian is right.
Forest played with 10 men after James Ward-Prowse was sent off 12 minutes from time at Stamford Bridge, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s men played with determination and skill - and could have notched a remarkable win.
had six men booked, so could now face a second £25,000 fine this season already, and frustration boiled over late in the game as a 20-man brawl broke out after Forest substitute Neco Williams appeared to push Marc Cucurella into Maresca.
But Forest, who won at earlier in the season, emerged with the honours. Chelsea, as ever, set off at a pace, and the tricky Noni Madueke cut inside and shot into the side netting. The 22 year old then fired over from a good position.
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But Forest withstood the early barrage, and created a good chance of their own when former Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi crossed, but Ryan Yates headed straight at Robert Sanchez.
The lively Madueke again went close before Malo Gusto shot over, but Forest then had another chance on the break when Murillo cut out Enzo Fernandez’s poor pass, raced into the box and shot only for Sanchez to pull off a fine save.
It was clear it was not going to be a stroll for Chelsea, unlike recent games, as Matz Sels saved from Fernandes, but Forest were lucky when Murillo lost the ball, Cole Palmer saw his shot blocked and it bounced back off the post before they managed to scramble the ball clear.
Levi Colwill’s brilliant block from Yates’ shot saved a clear Forest chance, but Nuno Espirito Santo’s team were always dangerous on the break. Four minutes after half time they struck, when Ward-Prowse swung in a free kick, Nikola Milenkovic nodded down, and Chris Wood slid the ball home.
Elliott Anderson then saw his shot stopped by Sanchez, but Forest’s lead lasted only eight minutes. Madueke, always Chelsea’s most dangerous player, picked the ball up on the right again, cut inside and his shot fizzed low through a crowd to leave Sels helpless.
Forest had some shaky moments at this point, as Madueke lifted another effort over the bar, but they were still defended stubbornly. Their chances looked grim though when Ward-Prowse was sent off for his second yellow card - handling the ball when trying to prevent Nicolas Jackson breaking clear.
But they held on in a frantic finale, when either side could have won. Twice Palmer was foiled by brilliant saves from Sels.
Thirteen minutes of extra time were added on after the brawl was sorted out by referee Chris Kavanagh, as Chelsea substitute Joao Felix somehow headed wide from six yards. Then Forest broke through only to be foiled by a great save from Sanchez - and Sels at the other end was even better in keeping out Christopher Nkunku’s diving header.
Palmer chipped just wide, and Sanchez at the other end brilliantly stopped Jota Silva’s glancing header. Chelsea’s five game winning run had been stopped in its tracks. This Premier League stuff is not easy
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