Noni Madueke’s equaliser salvaged a 1-1 draw for Chelsea against a 10-man Nottingham Forest, ending the Blues’ five-match winning streak on Sunday. Enzo Maresca’s team fell behind early in the second half when Chris Wood scored for Forest at Stamford Bridge.
England winger Madueke pulled Chelsea level, but despite their numerical advantage after James Ward-Prowse was sent off with 12 minutes remaining, the hosts were unable to find a winner.
“We were in control but couldn’t make the most of the extra man,” Maresca admitted after the match.
Chelsea had been in fine form, winning their previous three league matches and five across all competitions, raising optimism about Maresca’s ability to rejuvenate the West London club. Despite the draw, Chelsea remain in fourth place going into the international break.
Maresca, however, maintains that Chelsea aren’t ready to challenge for the Premier League title, saying, “We’re not yet competing with Manchester City and Arsenal, but we’re in a good position to push for a top-four finish.”
The Italian coach demonstrated Chelsea’s squad depth with an entirely rotated lineup in Thursday’s 4-2 Europa Conference League victory over Gent. He made several changes again for this match, though with less success.
In a bid to enhance the matchday atmosphere, Chelsea allowed players to choose songs to be played over the stadium tannoy before kickoff. Joao Felix selected Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” and Jadon Sancho opted for Future’s “Too Fast,” but Chelsea’s performance on the pitch lacked harmony.
“We were out of sync for much of the game,” Maresca acknowledged.
Forest nearly took the lead when Murillo’s powerful strike was saved by Robert Sanchez. Chelsea, who struggled to create chances, didn’t manage to seriously test Forest keeper Matz Sels until three minutes before halftime.
Noni Madueke’s initial shot was parried by Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels, who quickly recovered to block Enzo Fernandez’s rebound attempt. Moments later, Sels denied Cole Palmer’s low drive, swiftly collecting the loose ball before it could cross the line.
Despite Chelsea’s late first-half pressure, they were caught off guard just four minutes after the interval. Nikola Milenkovic flicked a Forest free-kick toward Chris Wood, who prodded the ball home from close range, netting his fourth goal of the season.
Forest nearly doubled their lead when Elliot Anderson forced Chelsea keeper Robert Sanchez into a fine save. However, Chelsea struck back in the 57th minute when Madueke latched onto Palmer’s pass inside the Forest box, firing a composed finish past Sels to level the score.
Madueke missed a golden chance to complete Chelsea’s comeback after being set up by Jadon Sancho, but he fired his shot over the bar. Forest’s James Ward-Prowse, already on a yellow card, was sent off in the 78th minute after a desperate foul on Nicolas Jackson, preventing the striker from a potential match-winning opportunity.
Chelsea pushed hard for a winner, with Palmer twice denied by Sels in the closing stages. Joao Felix had a prime chance in the 13 minutes of stoppage time but headed wide from Pedro Neto’s cross. On the other end, Sanchez made a crucial save from Neco Williams, and Sels again thwarted Christopher Nkunku as the match ended in a frustrating 1-1 draw for Chelsea.
