Nottingham Forest came from behind to earn a point with a 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea, courtesy of Serge Aurier’s second half equaliser.
A strange goal proved to be the difference between the sides at the break. It came after the Reds had caused problems for their visitors amid a decent spell in the opening 15 minutes.
Mason Mount blazed off target early on, but Forest were getting some joy on the counterattack and they could have taken the lead with 10 minutes gone. A lovely through-ball from Morgan Gibbs-White set Brennan Johnson racing down the middle, with a double save from Kepa Arrizabalaga needed to keep him at bay.
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Having failed to make the most of that opportunity, the hosts then fell behind in the 16th minute. Christian Pulisic’s cross was flicked on to the bar by Willy Boly as he attempted to clear, it then bounced off the woodwork and into the path of Raheem Sterling, who thumped it past Dean Henderson.
Chelsea’s tails were up with that breakthrough. They didn’t have too many clearcut chances in the remainder of the first half, but a Cesar Aspilicueta effort was deflected behind and Henderson saved from Pulisic.
Forest were much improved in the second half. After Gibbs-White struck the woodwork, Aurier bagged the equaliser when Boly kept alive a corner. It was the least the hosts deserved. Here’s how Reds reporter Sarah Clapson rated the Forest players at the City Ground.
Dean Henderson: Caught napping a little when the ball bounced off the bar and unexpectedly fell for Sterling. Made a couple of routine saves towards the end of the first half, but didn’t have too many to make otherwise. Rating: 6/10
Serge Aurier: Guilty of being caught out of position for the opener, but made up for that with a well-taken equaliser. Showed lovely control before producing a fine finish. Rating: 7.5/10
Joe Worrall: Might have done better with stopping the cross which led to Sterling scoring, but the defence had been pulled out of position. Otherwise, helped limit the visitors to few chances. Rating: 7/10
Willy Boly: A bit unfortunate with the flick which resulted in Sterling’s goal. A better contribution at the other end of the pitch, teeing up Aurier’s leveller. Rating: 7.5/10
Renan Lodi: Like most of his teammates, improved after the break. Got forward more in the second half as the Reds really got at their opponents. Rating: 7/10
Remo Freuler: Had struggled to make his mark on the game in the opening 45 minutes, but contributed to a fine second half. Ensured the visitors didn’t see as much of the ball after the break. Rating: 7/10
Ryan Yates: Played with his usual passion and aggression on his 150th Forest appearance. Earned him a booking, which left him treading a fine line. Rating: 7.5/10
Orel Mangala: Much better in the second half when the Reds as a unit played with considerably more intensity. Some neat passes during that period. Rating: 7/10
Morgan Gibbs-White: A huge boost to have him available again, and he made a big difference. Played some delightful through-balls and was so unlucky not to score with a screamer which hit the bar. Rating: 8/10
Brennan Johnson: A real threat as he twice had the visitors back-tracking with his pace and forced three saves from Kepa Arrizabalaga. Might have rolled the ball to Awoniyi for one of those chances. Rating: 7.5/10
Taiwo Awoniyi: Caused Chelsea all kinds of problems with his strength and some powerful runs. Fans showed their appreciation for a heck of a shift from the striker by chanting ‘Taiwo, Taiwo, Taiwo’ when he came off. Rating: 8/10
Subs
Jack Colback (for Mangala, 78mins): Got stuck in straight away. Experience was a useful asset in the final minutes. Rating: 7/10
Sam Surridge (for Johnson, 82mins): Fresh legs added some energy in the closing minutes. Rating: 7/10
Neco Williams (for Awoniyi, 88mins): Didn’t really have long to make an impression on the match. Rating: 6/10
Subs not used: Hennessey, Cook, O’Brien, Toffolo, Dennis, McKenna.
Who was your Forest man of the match? Have your say in the comments below
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