The match between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest has reached a serious crisis at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues went into the game as favorites but the first 45 minutes were nothing short of a disaster, compounded by a serious injury to teenage debutant Jesse Derry just before the interval.
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Cole Palmer misses penalty, Jesse Derry left on stretcher
The biggest concern on the night remains the 18-year-old winger’s safety. Making his first Premier League start, Derry was a rare flash of brilliance for a struggling Chelsea team.
However, in an aerial duel inside the penalty area in stoppage time, Derry suffered a frightening clash of heads with Forest defender Zac Abbott.
The match was halted for more than 10 minutes as medical staff from both clubs rushed onto the pitch, with Derry eventually being carried off on a stretcher to a standing ovation from a hushed crowd.
The injury incident was actually a lifeline for the Blues, as referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the area after the collision.
In a moment that summed up Chelsea’s misfortune, Palmer, who has been the club’s most reliable force since joining from Man City, had his own penalty saved brilliantly by Mats Sells.
The mistake left Stamford Bridge officials stunned into silence, and the Blues, whose Premier League drought continues, realized they still had no chance of scoring from 12 yards out.
Liam Delap was brought on as a substitute for Derry, who went down with concussion, but the mental toll of injuries and penalty misses was clear as the team headed into the tunnel.
Chelsea lost 2-0 to weak Nottingham Forest.
To make matters worse for Chelsea’s caretaker manager Callum McFarlane, the scoreline reflected their defensive disarray.
Despite rotating their squad to qualify for the Europa League, Forest took the lead after just two minutes with a goal from Taiwo Awoniyi.
The misery was doubled in the 15th minute when Igor Jesus converted a penalty after Maro Gusto was penalized for a clumsy challenge.
Chelsea dominated possession, but against Forest’s second team they lacked ideas and looked vulnerable at the back.
