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In a dramatic twist at Stamford Bridge, Anthony Elanga came off the bench to secure Nottingham Forest a stunning 1-0 victory over Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea. The win finally gives Forest the top-six triumph their recent admirable performances had hinted at, particularly following narrow defeats at the hands of Arsenal and Manchester United earlier this season.
Mauricio Pochettino, despite welcoming nine new signings to the club, has made only two changes to his starting XI across four Premier League games, and has now only won one. In this match, club-record signing Moises Caicedo found himself responsible for Forest's game-winning goal, while newcomer Cole Palmer, making his debut as a substitute, failed to make a significant impact.
The game saw an initially lively Chelsea offense led by Raheem Sterling, fresh from scoring twice against Luton. However, Sterling's early efforts were stymied by Ola Aina's stalwart defending. Sterling, who was overlooked for the latest England squad, tried to make his case alongside Conor Gallagher, who did earn a spot from Gareth Southgate. Gallagher nearly scored, bending a shot just wide of the goal.
Forest wasn't just there to defend. They earned a dangerous free-kick when Chelsea's Thiago Silva fouled in-form striker Taiwo Awoniyi, who then sent a blistering shot over the bar. Awoniyi, already noted for scoring against Arsenal and Manchester United this season, nearly added Chelsea to his list with a close-range acrobatic effort that just missed the mark.
A forced substitution due to an injury to Danilo saw Elanga enter the fray, and the Swedish forward soon proved his £15 million transfer fee was money well spent. A costly mistake from Caicedo in midfield offered Forest a golden opportunity, with the Chelsea defense caught out of position. Awoniyi brilliantly threaded a pass to Elanga, who calmly slotted it past Chelsea's goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
The home side grew increasingly desperate to level the match. Pochettino rolled the dice by introducing Noni Madueke, Palmer, Ian Maatsen, and Mykhailo Mudryk. Nicolas Jackson, a summer acquisition from Villarreal, had the best chance to equalize but failed to convert from close range following a setup from Sterling.
The win for Forest serves as a cautionary tale for Pochettino’s Chelsea, which needs to quickly find its form if it hopes to live up to its top-six billing in the Premier League. On the other hand, it could be a season-defining moment for Nottingham Forest, who finally managed to turn impressive performances against top-tier teams into crucial points.
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