Chelsea’s hopes of securing three points were thwarted by a resilient Nottingham Forest side that held on for a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, despite being reduced to 10 men in the final stages of the game. Chris Wood’s goal for Forest early in the second half was canceled out by Noni Madueke’s equalizer shortly after, but Chelsea failed to capitalize on their dominance in possession, even after Forest’s James Ward-Prowse was sent off in the 78th minute.
The draw leaves Chelsea fourth in the Premier League table, four points behind leaders Liverpool, with frustration mounting over their inability to turn control of the game into victory.
Chelsea’s Lineup and Early Dominance
Chelsea made significant changes to their squad for the match, with manager Enzo Maresca making 11 changes to the starting XI that had beaten a Conference League opponent 4-2 on Thursday night. He opted to field the same team that claimed victory over Brighton & Hove Albion by the same scoreline in the Premier League the previous weekend. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, lined up in a compact 4-2-3-1 formation, set to absorb pressure and hit Chelsea on the counter.
From the kickoff, Chelsea pushed forward aggressively, with full-backs Malo Gusto and Marc Cucurella playing high up the pitch, transforming the Blues’ shape into a 2-3-4-1 formation in possession. This allowed Chelsea to dominate the early stages of the match, with a large portion of play taking place in Forest’s half.
One of Chelsea’s brightest early moments came from winger Noni Madueke, who posed a constant threat down the right-hand side. In the opening minutes, Madueke cut inside his marker and fired a left-footed shot just wide of the post from around ten yards out, signaling Chelsea’s attacking intent.
Despite Chelsea’s early dominance in possession, Forest managed to find a few openings. Academy graduate Callum Hudson-Odoi whipped in a cross for Ryan Yates, whose header forced a straightforward save from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Chelsea continued to create chances, with Madueke sending a second shot over the bar after another darting run down the right. His lively performance gave Forest’s defense plenty to think about, but the Blues struggled to convert their possession into meaningful chances on goal.
Frustrating First Half for Chelsea
Chelsea controlled over two-thirds of possession throughout the first half, yet clear-cut chances remained elusive. Gusto saw a goal-bound shot blocked, and Madueke, cutting inside from the right flank once again, fired wide from a tight angle. Chelsea’s right side continued to be their primary attacking outlet, with Gusto playing high up the pitch and contributing to several attacks.
In the midst of Chelsea’s pressure, Forest nearly took advantage of a momentary lapse from the hosts. Center-back Murillo made an impressive tackle in Chelsea’s half, driving forward with the ball and unleashing a powerful 20-yard strike that forced Sanchez into a sharp save.
Chelsea came close to breaking the deadlock just before halftime. Madueke, in an industrious moment, won the ball back deep in Forest’s half and surged into the box. He laid it off to Cole Palmer, who seemed poised to score, but Ola Aina, the former Chelsea player, made a critical defensive intervention, touching the ball away before it crossed the line. The ball then rolled dangerously across the goalmouth before Matz Sels, Forest’s goalkeeper, gathered it just in time.
Immediately after, Forest had a chance of their own at the other end. A cutback from the left flank found Ryan Yates, whose goal-bound effort was dramatically blocked by Levi Colwill, keeping the game scoreless at the break.
Wood Puts Forest Ahead Early in Second Half
Nottingham Forest started the second half on the front foot and found themselves in the lead within four minutes of the restart. A deep free-kick from Nicola Milenkovic was headed into the danger area, and Chris Wood managed to get the slightest of touches, toe-poking the ball past Sanchez into the far corner to give Forest a surprising 1-0 lead.
Forest could have doubled their advantage soon after, as Elliot Anderson fired a shot that forced Sanchez into another save. However, Chelsea responded quickly. In the 57th minute, Madueke’s persistence down the right wing paid off. The England international cut inside onto his left foot and drilled a low shot into the far bottom corner, bringing Chelsea level at 1-1.
Madueke continued to cause problems for the Forest defense and could have scored again just minutes later. A fast Chelsea counter-attack saw Jadon Sancho pick out the unmarked winger inside the box, but Madueke’s first-time effort from 12 yards sailed over the bar.
Chelsea Press for a Winner
With the game level, Chelsea ramped up the pressure in search of a winning goal. Nicolas Jackson found himself in a promising position after dispossessing Murillo 30 yards from goal but opted to pass rather than shoot, and the chance was snuffed out by Forest’s defense. Gusto then sent a dangerous cross into the box, which was headed over his own crossbar by Murillo under pressure.
Forest’s chances of holding on were severely hampered when James Ward-Prowse was sent off in the 78th minute. After slipping and losing possession to Jackson, Ward-Prowse instinctively grabbed the ball with his hands to prevent a potential breakaway. The referee showed him a second yellow card, leaving Forest with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Chelsea saw this as their opportunity to push forward, and Cole Palmer forced a double save from Sels with a central shot, followed by an impressive recovery from the Forest goalkeeper to stop the rebound. Maresca threw on all his attacking options, including Joao Felix, Mykhailo Mudryk, and Pedro Neto, in an attempt to find the winner.
Mudryk embarked on a dazzling run down the pitch late in the game, beating multiple defenders before setting up Christopher Nkunku, but Sels made another excellent save to keep the score level. Gusto then had a long-range effort pushed over the bar, while Palmer curled a shot just wide of the top corner.
Late Forest Pressure and Chelsea’s Frustration
Despite being a man down, Nottingham Forest had chances to snatch a dramatic winner. In the 10th minute of injury time, Neco Williams found space inside Chelsea’s box and unleashed a powerful half-volley, but Sanchez was equal to it, pulling off a fine save to ensure Chelsea didn’t leave empty-handed.
Forest piled on the pressure in the closing minutes, with Murillo’s free-kick blocked and Jota’s header forcing another outstanding save from Sanchez in what was the final action of the game. The points were ultimately shared as Chelsea’s inability to turn their dominance into goals left them frustrated.
What It Means and What’s Next
Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, combined with Aston Villa’s goalless draw against Manchester United, means the Blues remain fourth in the Premier League table. They are now four points behind leaders Liverpool and three points behind second-placed Manchester City and Arsenal.
After the international break, Chelsea will return to action with a crucial away fixture against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, October 20. The match is set to kick off at 4:30 pm and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
The Teams
Chelsea: Sanchez; Gusto, Fofana, Colwill (Tosin 90+3), Cucurella; Caicedo, Fernandez (Joao Felix 81); Madueke (Neto 90), Palmer, Sancho (Mudryk 90); Jackson (Nkunku 81)
Bookings: Caicedo 21, Palmer 75, Cucurella 89, Colwill 89, Neto 90+8, Fofana 90+12
Goal: Madueke 57
Nottingham Forest: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno (Williams 82); Yates (c), Ward-Prowse; Anderson (Jota Silva 66), Gibbs-White (Domínguez 76), Hudson-Odoi (Morato 82); Wood (Elanga 82)
Bookings: Ward-Prowse 36, 78, Williams 89, Selz 90+5
Red card: Ward-Prowse 78
Goal: Wood 49
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Attendance: 39,501
