Raheem Sterling reminded Chelsea supporters of his quality as he netted twice in a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest. After snatching three points from Bournemouth last weekend, Frank Lampard extended his unbeaten streak as caretaker manager to two games.
Taiwo Awoniyi gave Steve Cooper's side the lead inside the opening quarter of an hour after Edouard Mendy failed to deal with the incoming cross. Sterling equalised for the Blues just moments into the second-half before doubling his tally for the afternoon with a well-placed strike.
Chelsea looked well-positioned to pick up another victory but Awoniyi pulled on back for the visitors no more than five minutes later. The west Londoners enjoyed the large majority of possession at Stamford Bridge, but they failed to translate their dominance into well-fashioned opportunities.
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So, with that being said, football.london has taken a look at how the national media reacted to Chelsea's draw.
The Guardian
"Nottingham Forest did not know whether to celebrate the comeback or rue the wastefulness," wrote Jacob Steinberg. "A point gained or two dropped? It was their seventh on the road this season and, given this game could have run away from them after Chelsea found a sudden burst of energy at the start of the second half, the optimists in the away end were entitled to feel positive when the host’s hopes of a second consecutive win were ended by Taiwo Awoniyi heading in his fourth goal of a productive week.
"There was character from Forest, resilience when they trailed, and this draw could be vital in the final reckoning. Yet if there was a worry for Steve Cooper, it will be his side’s failure to secure their second away win of the campaign. Forest, who had led after Awoniyi punished an error from Édouard Mendy, could have moved five points clear of the bottom three with two games left; indeed they probably would have done if Moussa Niakhaté had put them 2-0 up shortly after half-time
"Only time will tell if Forest come to regret Niakhaté’s miss. Chelsea were there for the taking before a brief lively spell, Raheem Sterling producing quality finishes twice in the space of seven minutes, and Cooper knew a chance had slipped away."
The Mirror
"As for Chelsea, well, they were hapless, hopeless and helpless in that first period, and looked like a team for whom the end of the season can’t come soon enough," wrote Tom Hopkinson. "A lot of them looked like they were just going through the motions, and one or two didn’t even put in that much effort.
"But ultimately a decent enough spell early in the second half was enough for Sterling to score two goals, and when the second went in it even prompted some gallows humour among the home crowd with pockets of them chanting, ‘We are staying up'."
Daily Mail
"When Paul Tierney blew the final whistle, the travelling contingent housed in the Shed End celebrated like they had won as they took yet another crucial step to safety," wrote Aadam Patel.
"Just how important that point will be for Forest will be determined over the coming fortnight but it at least ensured that regardless of results at Goodison Park on Sunday and at the King Power Stadium on Monday, they will remain out of the relegation zone with two games to play.
"With Arsenal at home next week, however, there is every chance if results don’t go their way that Forest will return to the capital in a fortnight for a trip to Selhurst Park with their fate undecided."
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