Chelsea lost 3-1 at home to Nottingham Forest on Monday as the Blues were booed off the pitch.
WATCH — Full match replay
Chelsea have lost six league games in a row and caretaker manager Calum McFarlane looked on in disbelief at what he saw. Forest went 2-0 up early with Taiwo Awoniyi heading home and then winning a penalty kick which Igor Jesus dispatched.
Before the break Chelsea youngster Jesse Derry won a penalty kick but he suffered a serious injury and had to be carried off the pitch. Cole Palmer’s spot kick was saved my Matz Sels as Chelsea’s misery continued. After the break Forest were clinical again as Awoniyi slotted home his second and Forest’s third.
Joao Pedro scored a stunning acrobatic effort in stoppage time for a consolation as Chelsea at least ended their goal drought in the league which had lasted over nine hours.
With the win Forest move on to 42 points and are six points clear of the relegation zone with three games to go. Chelsea stay on 48 points as they can’t finish any higher than sixth place in the table.
Surging Forest switch attention from relegation to the Champions League
It has been quite a remarkable season for Nottingham Forest. Even by their own wacky standards. The hugely popular Nuno Espirito Santo was fired after just a few games despite leading them unexpectedly to Europe last season. Ange Postecoglou replaced him and only lasted a couple of weeks. Sean Dyche was then fired quickly too. It turns out Vitor Pereira is fourth time lucky for Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis as this manager has Forest seven games unbeaten in the league and has now won three in a row to all but secure Premier League safety. It has been utterly chaotic for nine months but now Forest look all but safe from relegation they can start dreaming about the Champions League. That’s right. They lead Aston Villa 1-0 heading into the second leg of their Europa League semifinal at Villa Park on Thursday and if they get past Villa, which in this form they definitely can, then they will be the favorites to beat Sporting Braga or Freiburg and win the Europa League and reach the Champions League next season as a result. As Nuno showed in recent years if Forest are organized well defensively they can hurt teams on the counter and have talented individuals. Vitor Pereira has gone back to that style of play and it’s clear Forest’s players enjoy it and he has a big enough squad to rotate heavily to now prioritize Europe. If they can win the Europa League it will be really exciting to see how this chaotic club can compete in the Champions League given the extra riches that will arrive. One step at a time but Forest look on track to go from a relegation scrap to Champions League qualification in just a few weeks. That sentence sums up all of their chaos perfectly.
What’s next?
Chelsea head to Liverpool on Saturday, then have the FA Cup final against Manchester City the following Saturday. Nottingham Forest head to Aston Villa on Thursday for the second leg of their UEFA Europa League semifinal, then host Newcastle on Sunday.
Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest score: 1-3
Joao Pedro 90+3'; Awoniyi 2’, 52', Igor Jesus 15’
Joao Pedro scores a beautiful overhead kick!
What a way to end the drought. Joao Pedro controls the ball and spanks home a brilliant overhead kick.
Joao Pedro UNREAL scissor kick! ✂️
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 4, 2026
The Blues finally find the net.
🔵 Chelsea: 1
🔴 Nottingham Forest: 3
⏱️ 93’ pic.twitter.com/QMgocD6kFE
Sels denies Palmer
Plenty of empty seats in the home end as Chelsea’s fans had seen enough a long, long time ago. Cole Palmer’s curler from outside the box is saved well by Sels and Forest clear. Just a few minutes to go.
Joao Pedro heads home as Chelsea finally score... but he was offside
Chelsea look to have finally scored for the first time in over nine hours in the Premier League, as Cucurella finds Joao Pedro and his first effort is saved but he heads home the rebound. However, VAR checks for offside and Joao Pedro is just off. No goal.
The drought lives on 😬
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 4, 2026
Chelsea goal is called back for offsides after VAR review.
🔵 Chelsea: 0
🔴 Nottingham Forest: 3
⏱️ 73’ pic.twitter.com/qKy2F9BpDQ
Another bad collision as Sanchez and Gibbs-White are down
Just like the first half, there is another lengthy delay. Morgan Gibbs-White and Robert Sanchez collide. Both players have a bandage around their heads and are getting treatment. Chris Wood is on for Gibbs-White, while Jorgensen is on for Sanchez.
Awoniyi scores another!
Morgan Gibbs-White with a great run to latch onto a through ball and his cross is on a plate for Awoniyi to tap home at the back post. VAR is checking for a potential offside to see if Awoniyi was ahead of the ball when it was played, but he stayed onside. It’s 3-0!
FOREST ARE ROLLING! 😤
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 4, 2026
Awoniyi with his second of the day to put the Tricky Trees up three scores.
🔵 Chelsea: 0
🔴 Nottingham Forest: 3
⏱️ 52’ pic.twitter.com/awRZMnSUES
Colwill on for Tosin, Gibbs-White, Andersen, Milenkovic all on for Forest
Four subs at half time with three on for Forest as Gibbs-White, Andersen and Milenkovic are on for Jair Cunha, Igor Jesus and Nicolas Dominguez. Levi Colwill is on for Tosin for Chelsea as the former is making his first appearance since the FIFA Club World Cup final last July following his lengthy spell out with a serious knee injury.
Half time thoughts — Boos ring out at the Bridge
That was pretty woeful from Chelsea that first 45 minutes. Much-changed Forest are cruising to victory and Palmer’s penalty kick being saved just before half time summed it all up. Chelsea on their way to six-straight league defeats without scoring for the first time in their history...
Penalty to Chelsea after Derry and Abbott collide... but Palmer’s effort is saved
A corner is flicked to the back post and the ball pops up. Zach Abbott and youngster Jesse Derry go for it and the Chelsea player just gets their first. Abbott catches him and they both go down with head injuries. A penalty kick is awarded but Abbott is forced off with a head injury as a concussion sub with Neco Williams on, while there is a near 10-minute wait for Derry to receive treatment as he is carried off the pitch and Liam Delap comes on. After an extremely long wait Cole Palmer steps up but his weak penalty kick is saved by Matz Sels. Chelsea’s wait for a Premier League goal clicks closer to nine hours.
Malo Gusto pulls Awoniyi and Igor Jesus scores the penalty!
Forest are 2-0 up! That was a clear pull from Malo Gusto on Awoniyi. Penalty is awarded and Igor Jesus scores. Wow.
It's all Forest early on! 🌳
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 4, 2026
Igor Jesus doubles the lead! The Chelsea struggles continue...
🔵 Chelsea: 0
🔴 Nottingham Forest: 2
⏱️ 15’ pic.twitter.com/dFCEekr3FK
Awoniyi puts Forest ahead!
What a start for Forest! Awoniyi heads home Bakwa’s cross at the back post. Really good header, but that was so poor defensively from Chelsea.
WHAT A START! 🔥
— USA Sports (@usasports) May 4, 2026
Taiwo Awoniyi finds the back of the net early!
🔵 Chelsea: 0
🔴 Nottingham Forest: 1
⏱️ 2’ pic.twitter.com/mBV43ILmJp
Chelsea lineup
Sanchez; Gusto, Chalobah, Tosin, Cucurella; Lavia, Caicedo; Palmer, Fernandez, Derry; Joao Pedro
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels; Abbott, Cunha, Morato, Netz; McAteer, Dominguez, Yates, Bakwa; Igor Jesus, Awoniyi
Chelsea team news, focus
OUT: Estevao (thigh), Jamie Gittens (thigh), Filip Jorgensen (groin), Levi Colwill (torn ACL - MORE), Mykhailo Mudryk (suspension) | QUESTIONABLE: Reece James (thigh)
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
OUT: Callum Hudson-Odoi (thigh), Willy Boly (knee), Nicola Savona (knee), John Victor (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Murillo (thigh), Jair Cunha (ankle), Ibrahim Sangare (knock), Dan Ndoye (unspecified)
Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest preview
Chelsea have fired coach Liam Rosenior and interim boss Calum McFarlane oversaw a hopeful 1-0 win over Leeds United in the FA Cup semifinal to set up an FA Cup Final date with Manchester City later this month. McFarlane now turns his attention to a five-match Premier League losing streak which has sent them skidding out of the top-five race. The Blues’ 48 points have them ninth, four points back of sixth and just three points clear of 13th.
Forest, meanwhile, are happy with a 1-0 Europa League semifinal first leg win over Aston Villa on Thursday but cannot look past their Premier League status. The Tricky Trees are just three points clear of the bottom three with four matches left on their docket and it only takes a loss and a win for Spurs and West Ham to thicken that particular stew.
Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest prediction
The Blues are healthier and better rested, though the extra day does give Forest a bit of relief. An unusual kickoff time like this might deliver unusual performances, and this could well be a bit more open than either boss would like for his team. Chelsea 3-2 Nottingham Forest.
How to watch Chelsea vs Nottingham Forest live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Monday
Venue: Stamford Bridge — West London
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch on USA
