The Academy graduate’s towering header from Pedro Neto’s pinpoint cross nudged us ahead shortly after the half-time break, and we seized control of the contest three minutes later. This time it was Neto on the scoresheet, thumping in a free-kick from the edge of the box.

Those goals brought the game to life following a first half that while competitive, lacked quality in the final third. Andrey Santos went closest for us.

After our quickfire double, Forest went close on several occasions but a combination of poor finishing, good goalkeeping and bad luck stopped them getting back in the contest.

Instead, it was Reece James who had the final word, volleying in from a corner. It was the perfect way to mark his 200th Blues appearance.

The only blot on our copybook was a late red card shown to Malo Gusto for a second booking. Aside from that, it was very much Chelsea’s afternoon in the East Midlands, with Forest boss Ange Postecoglou relieved of his duties shortly after the final whistle.

Team news

With Enzo Fernandez injured and Moises Caicedo only fit enough for the bench, Romeo Lavia and Santos started for us. The Brazilian was deployed in the number ten role, while Gusto accompanied Lavia in the middle of the park.

Trevoh Chalobah returned from suspension to partner Acheampong in defence, with Tosin Adarabioyo back on the bench after injury. He was brought on for the closing stages.

Head coach Enzo Maresca watched from the stands as he was serving a one-match ban, with assistant Willy Caballero the main man in the dugout today.

For Forest, Taiwo Awoniyi started for the first time since the beginning of April, with fellow strikers Chris Wood and Igor Jesus on the bench.

Entertaining opening

It was Awoniyi who had the first shot of the game, inside a minute, capitalising on an errant Gusto pass before trickling a tame effort harmlessly wide.

With our first attack of note, a probing run from Neto created space for Gusto to fire in a cross that ricocheted around the box before being deflected over the bar off Santos.

The entertaining beginning to the game continued as both teams worked the ball into dangerous areas. Elliot Anderson decided to cut back when a shot looked the better choice, while for us Alejandro Garnacho was a regular outlet on the left flank.

The height of Forest’s team, especially their trio of centre-backs, made for a combative encounter. At times in the opening quarter, the Blues struggled to deal with that physicality.

Before the 20-minute mark, we had two let-offs. The first came after Chalobah miscontrolled, with Morgan Gibbs-White shooting a whisker wide. The same player then couldn’t control an acrobatic effort after Douglas Luiz had headed a bouncing ball back across goal. We had already made three errors leading to Forest shots, the joint most by a Premier League team in a match this season.

A calmer passage of play ensued, with neither team finding the fluency or the final pass to seriously threaten the other.

Santos goes close

That was until the close to the interval, when Santos had a pair of decent opportunities. Neto created the first by cleverly picking out Joao Pedro, who nodded the ball back to Santos. His shot was always rising over.

The Brazilian’s next attempt went closer. Again Joao Pedro was the creator, this time from much deeper, with his lofted through pass eventually reaching Santos. The left-footed strike that followed beat Matz Sels, but also the far post. Neto fired over with the last meaningful action of a half that had threatened to catch fire, but never quite did.

Chelsea seize control

Both managers responded by making changes at half-time. Igor Jesus replaced Awoniyi for Forest, while Maresca brought on three fresh faces: Caicedo, Jamie Gittens and Marc Guiu.

They had an immediate impact. Within seven minutes of the restart, we were two-nil up! Acheampong had already had a header saved by Sels when he nodded in Neto’s inviting cross in the 49th minute. It was a good time for the 19-year-old to open his Chelsea account, with the moment made extra special because he could celebrate right in front of the ecstatic travelling support.

In the blink of an eye, we doubled our lead. Good skill from Guiu won a free-kick on the edge of the box that James rolled to Neto, whose strike was too hot for Sels to handle.

Joao Pedro shot wide at the near post as we sought to put the game beyond Forest, who to their credit did try and muster a response. Neco Williams volleyed a very presentable chance over, before Sanchez got down well to save Nikola Milenkovic’s header, and then back up to ensure Ibrahim Sangare’s strike on the spin went over.

The hosts went even closer in the 70th minute. Igor Jesus met fellow sub Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross with a volley that hit the crossbar, then the post, and somehow stayed out. On the break, Guiu fired over.

James notches on landmark appearance

We would add a late third when Sels flapped at a corner, succeeding only in teeing up James. His controlled volley found its way past several red shirts and into the net.

With three minutes of normal time remaining, Gusto mistimed a tackle and picked up his second yellow of the afternoon, ruling him out of next Saturday’s game against Sunderland.

Nonetheless, this was an emphatic way to pick up a second straight league win and a third success at this ground in three seasons.

What it means…

The Blues rise to fourth in the Premier League table ahead of the rest of the weekend’s action.

What’s next…

Home games against Ajax on Wednesday – in the Champions League – and then Sunderland on Saturday.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James (c), Acheampong (Tosin 81), Chalobah, Cucurella; Gusto, Lavia (Caicedo h/t); Pedro Neto (Estevao Willian 78), Andrey Santos (Guiu h/t), Garnacho (Gittens h/t); Joao Pedro

Unused subs Jorgensen, Hato, Buonanotte, George

Scorers Acheampong 49, Neto 52, James 84

Booked Gusto 54, Estevao Willian 89, Sanchez 90+4

Sent off Gusto 87 (second yellow)

Nottingham Forest (3-5-2): Sels; Milenkovic, Murillo (Savona 74), Morato, Williams, Douglas Luiz (Hudson-Odoi 53), Sangare, Anderson, Zinchenko (Wood 74), Gibbs-White (c), Awoniyi (Igor Jesus h/t).

Unused subs John, Ndoye, Dominguez, Yates, Jair Cunha

Referee Chris Kavanagh

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