LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) – Chelsea suffered a humiliating 3-1 home Premier League defeat by a second-string Nottingham Forest side on Monday, extinguishing any lingering hope of a top-five finish that would guarantee Champions League football next season.
It was a listless, error-ridden and disjointed performance from the London side and their sixth league defeat in a row, leaving them in ninth place, 10 points adrift of fifth-placed Aston Villa.
It was also a hard knock for interim coach Calum McFarlane, who was brought down to earth after a 1-0 FA Cup semi-final win against Leeds United a week ago. McFarlane replaced Liam Rosenior, sacked on April 22 after less than four months in charge.
Buoyant Forest left several first-choice players on the bench in anticipation of their Europa League semi-final second leg against Aston Villa on Thursday.
But they went ahead within 98 seconds at Stamford Bridge through a sharp header from Taiwo Awoniyi, who was unmarked at the back post.
The Nigeria striker added another breakaway goal in the 52nd minute tapping in substitute Morgan Gibbs-White’s pass to put the visitors firmly in control.
Igor Jesus had converted a penalty in the 15th minute after Malo Gusto had inexplicably pulled at Awoniyi’s shirt.
Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer had a penalty expertly saved by Matz Sels diving to his right just before halftime, summing up Chelsea’s miserable afternoon.
Palmer had to wait some 10 minutes to take the penalty given for a clash of heads between Forest’s Zach Abbott and 18-year-old winger Jesse Shaun Derry who was treated on the pitch, removed on a stretcher and taken to hospital.
Chelsea said Derry was conscious, talking and undergoing precautionary checks.
Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez and Gibbs-White were second-half head injury casualties but both walked off the pitch, their heads bandaged.
Chelsea’s Joao Pedro had the ball in the net in the 73rd minute only for a VAR check to rule it offside but 20 minutes later, into added time, the Brazil forward scored a spectacular overhead consolation goal.
“We need to find a way not to do these mistakes every game. This is Premier League,” Joao Pedro told Sky Sports. “If you concede too early, it is very difficult to come back.”
The home side were booed off the pitch at halftime and at the final whistle while Forest, led by their Vitor Pereira, their fourth coach of the season, celebrated with a noisy contingent of travelling fans, who have watched their team go undefeated in 10 matches in all competitions.
Though not mathematically out of danger they now lie six points above the relegation zone.
(Reporting by Clare Lovell, editing by Ed Osmond and Pritha Sarkar)
