Aurier earns Forest deserved point against Chelsea

Nottingham Forest claimed a valuable point in their relegation fight with a deserved draw against Chelsea, who lost ground on the Premier League top four.

Raheem Sterling volleyed home from five yards for the visitors after Wily Boly had flicked a cross onto his own bar.

Forest attacked with vigour in the second half and Morgan Gibbs-White crashed a stunning strike off the bar.

Serge Aurier showed fine composure when he controlled the ball on his chest and volleyed home the equaliser.

Chelsea, who have now only won successive league games once under Graham Potter since he was appointed on 8 September, climb above Brighton into eighth but are seven points behind Manchester United in fourth.

Forest, who claimed a point for the first time this season after going behind, move above Wolverhampton Wanderers into 18th and are only behind fourth-bottom West Ham United on goal difference.

Crowd drive Forest to draw

In the first half Forest were keen to use the pace of Brennan Johnson in behind the Chelsea defence and he came closest for the hosts in a one-on-one with Kepa Arrizabalaga.

Despite falling behind early on, the atmosphere at the City Ground built throughout the half, inspired in part by the crowd becoming frustrated by the performance of referee Peter Bankes.

Steve Cooper's team then leapt out of the blocks after the break, with Johnson having an effort saved before Gibbs-White rattled the underside of the bar with a wonderful strike.

The runs of Johnson and Taiwo Awoniyi in the channels caused Chelsea problems throughout the game, but as has been the case throughout the season - they have only scored 12 goals in 17 league games - they lacked cutting edge in the final third.

It took a superb piece of finishing from defender Aurier to earn them a point but with signs of Cooper finding his best 11 and a vocal fan base that has helped them go unbeaten in six home games in all competitions, they have a chance of survival.

Chelsea's away day blues continue

Chelsea went into the game knowing anything but three points would leave them further behind the top four after wins for Manchester United and Liverpool in the past 48 hours.

They began with good intent and Mason Mount produced two threatening efforts before Sterling reacted quickest to smash Chelsea ahead after Boly - who was under pressure from Kai Harvetz - inadvertently back-heeled a Christian Pulisic cross onto the bar.

From then on the visitors were lacklustre and failed to have a shot on target after the break despite Potter using all five substitutions in an attempt to change the game.

That said, one of them, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, should have perhaps won Potter's side the game but he failed to make proper contact with a header after a wicked cross from substitute Hakim Ziyech.

It leaves Chelsea, who struggled to cope with Forest's second-half pace and intensity, with one win in their last five games in all competitions, and without a victory in five Premier League away matches.

Player of the match

AwoniyiTaiwo Awoniyi

Nottingham Forest

Squad number9Player nameAwoniyi

Squad number10Player nameGibbs-White

Squad number24Player nameAurier

Squad number22Player nameYates

Squad number20Player nameJohnson

Squad number30Player nameBoly

Squad number16Player nameSurridge

Squad number23Player nameFreuler

Squad number5Player nameMangala

Squad number4Player nameWorrall

Squad number32Player nameRenan Lodi

Squad number1Player nameHenderson

Squad number7Player nameN Williams

Squad number8Player nameColback

Chelsea

Squad number6Player nameThiago Silva

Squad number1Player nameArrizabalaga

Squad number22Player nameZiyech

Squad number8Player nameKovacic

Squad number10Player namePulisic

Squad number20Player nameZakaria

Squad number32Player nameCucurella

Squad number29Player nameHavertz

Squad number28Player nameAzpilicueta

Squad number19Player nameMount

Squad number23Player nameGallagher

Squad number17Player nameSterling

Squad number26Player nameKoulibaly

Squad number30Player nameChukwuemeka

Squad number5Player nameJorginho

Squad number9Player nameAubameyang

Line-ups

Nottm Forest

Formation 4-3-3

1Henderson

24Aurier4Worrall30Boly32Lodi

22Yates23Freuler5Mangala

20Johnson10Gibbs-White9Awoniyi

Substitutes

Chelsea

Formation 4-3-3

1Arrizabalaga

28Azpilicueta26Koulibaly6Thiago Silva32Cucurella

20Zakaria5Jorginho19Mount

17Sterling29Havertz10Pulisic

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Chelsea 1.

Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Chelsea 1.

Renan Lodi (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Renan Lodi (Nottingham Forest).

Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Foul by Conor Gallagher (Chelsea).

Sam Surridge (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Neco Williams replaces Taiwo Awoniyi.

Foul by Conor Gallagher (Chelsea).

Jack Colback (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution, Chelsea. Carney Chukwuemeka replaces Christian Pulisic.

Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Willy Boly (Nottingham Forest).

Foul by Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea).

Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Sam Surridge replaces Brennan Johnson.

Attempt missed. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Chelsea) header from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Hakim Ziyech with a cross.

Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Jack Colback replaces Orel Mangala.

Hakim Ziyech (Chelsea) wins a free kick on the right wing.

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