Ange Postecoglou’s future at Nottingham Forest seems more and more bleak after his profligate facet slumped to a 2-0 defeat to Chelsea.
Postecoglou watched his facet waste a number of possibilities as his look ahead to a primary win as Forest supervisor goes on, a world break through which there was vital hypothesis about his potential sacking, doing nothing to enhance the hosts’ fortunes.
His counterpart Enzo Maresca watched from the stands as he served a one-match touchline ban, however a trio of half-time modifications turned a sport through which they initially struggled to realize a foothold of their favour.
Two targets within the area of three minutes settled the competition, Josh Acheampong’s first objective for the membership adopted by a free-kick from the instrumental Pedro Neto, with Reece James marking his 2 hundredth look for the membership with an 84th-minute objective.
Chelsea transfer inside two factors of Premier League leaders Arsenal, whereas Forest are nonetheless only a level above the relegation zone forward of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.
Chelsea survive Forest’s quick begin
Taiwo Awoniyi’s scuffed effort when by way of on objective set the tone for one more irritating afternoon for Forest.
Morgan Gibbs-White twice fired off-target after Chelsea misplaced the ball in their very own half, with the Blues uncharacteristically sloppy within the first-half absence of midfielder Moises Caicedo, who was named on the bench as a part of three modifications from the win over Liverpool by Maresca.
There was a harbinger of what was to return when Andrey Santos wasted a gilt-edged probability for Chelsea late within the first half, although that may be his final vital involvement within the sport.
Blues punish Postecoglou
Santos was withdrawn as Maresca shuffled his pack, with Romeo Lavia and Alejandro Garnacho additionally withdrawn as Caicedo, Marc Guiu and Jamie Gittens getting into the fray.
And that call by Maresca paid emphatic dividends because the Blues quickly gave Forest a mountain to climb.
Acheampong rose to go Chelsea in entrance after Neto acquired down the left wing and produced an outstanding cross following a free-kick.
Neto then turned goalscorer, albeit with an enormous serving to hand from Sels, who might solely assist a well-struck free-kick on its means into the bottom-left nook following Morato’s foul on the sting of the world.
Joao Pedro went shut to creating it 3-0 earlier than Neco Williams missed a sitter simply after the hour mark. Nikola Milenkovic was then denied by Robert Sanchez, with Ibrahim Sangare firing over on the rebound.
Forest’s day was summed up when Igor Jesus hit the crossbar and the submit from point-blank vary, and the sport was put past doubt by James after the hosts didn’t clear a nook.
Malo Gusto was despatched off for a second yellow card three minutes later, however that was solely a footnote as Chelsea condemned Postecoglou to an eighth sport with no win as Forest boss.