Below-par performance from Chelsea hand Nottingham Forest a point in 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea delivered yet another subpar performance as Nottingham Forest drew 2-2 at Stamford Bridge to earn a critical point in their survival bid.

Forest’s effort to stay in the Premier League has been concentrated on their home form, with only one League win away from home all season, but that record meant little when combined with a Chelsea side that continues to seem adrift.

Taiwo Awoniyi’s second goal of the game cancelled out Raheem Sterling’s own brace early in the second half at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea roared out of the gates in the second period, displaying the intensity and vigour that seemed a million miles away in the first, and quickly turned the scoreline on its head, leading 2-1 after 58 minutes.

However, Forest’s capacity to cling on in this game was evident fairly immediately, with Awoniyi heading in the equaliser just three minutes after Sterling’s second goal, and Renan Lodi coming close to scoring another with two bold tries.

Chelsea, on the other hand, went back into their shells and struggled to produce many clear-cut chances, with Sterling missing a near-post header and Hakim Ziyech sending feeble attempts from distance at Keylor Navas.

The Blues pressed on, but were unable to produce a late winner and will have to settle for a point, a result that Forest will be happy with as it keeps them above the relegation zone.

Chelsea have failed to win four of their six Premier League games this season against newly promoted sides (W2 D3 L1), sharing the points with Nottingham Forest both at home and away – the Blues have never failed to win more such games in a single Premier League season.

For the first time since 1992-93 (D3 L3), Nottingham Forest have failed to win six games (D1 L5) in London in a single Premier League season, conceding at least twice in each encounter in 2022-23.

Chelsea have conceded the first goal in 15 of their 35 Premier League games this season; the Blues previously conceded more in a single league season in 2010-11 (17).