Chelsea have rebounded strongly since May, especially last week's 5-0 thrashing at home to West Ham United, which allowed them to overtake Manchester United and climb to seventh place in the table, seeing the light of day in the race for European qualification. After a week's rest, Chelsea head into the 37th round of the Premier League away to Nottingham Forest, who sit fourth from bottom in the table, just three points clear of the relegation zone, and the pressure of relegation is still not lifted. In the last three meetings between the two sides, Chelsea have drawn 1 and lost 2. Mykhailo Mudryk and Caicedo scored and assisted respectively, with Jackson's 82nd-minute header giving Chelsea a 3-2 comeback to avenge a 1-0 first-leg defeat.
Pochettino insisted on a 4-2-3-1 formation as he led the team to their opponents' turf, with Petrovic continuing to guard the net for Chelsea, with the back four being Marc Cucurella, Thiago Silva, Benoit Badiashile and Trevoh Chalobah Jr. Caicedo and Conor Gallagher partnered in a back two, with Palmer, Mykhailo Mudryk and Madueke lined up and Jackson as the lone arrow.
After the game began, Chelsea had no suspense to take the lead, quickly took the initiative and took the lead in the eighth minute: Palmer sent a scalpel through, Mudryk cut in on the right, and calmly pushed the far corner into the far corner at a small angle, easily penetrating the Nottingham Forest goal, 1-0!
Seven minutes later, however, Nottingham Forest equalised: Gibbs White's cross from a set-piece was met by a serious mistake in the Chelsea defence, and Boehly headed home from close range unmarked, 1-1!
Nottingham Forest came close to another goal in the 23rd minute when Danilo's cross from a corner was sent to the back post, Petrovic came out but couldn't get the ball out of the way, and Chris Wood headed just high to save Chelsea from the rescue. In the 33rd minute, Palmer sent another scalpel through pass, and Jackson's half-one-handed shot was blocked by Zeles's outstretched leg and missed a great opportunity.
In the 42nd minute, there was a controversial decision on the field, Jackson was hugged in front of the goal and fell to the ground, but the referee signaled that the game continued and no penalty was awarded, and the two teams returned to the dressing room with a score of 1-1.
Back on the pitch, Nottingham Forest were in full swing and stormed around the Chelsea goal. In the 48th minute, Badiashile cleared not far away, and Eina burst into a cold arrow from 30 yards out, slightly over the crossbar. Four minutes later, Yates cut inside from the right and fired a low shot from the top of the box into the bottom right corner, only to be ruthlessly denied by the post, leaving the Blues in turmoil.
In the 57th minute, Hudson-Odoi forced a cross from the left, Gibbs White nodded the ball and hit the post and popped up, and Chris Wood shot from close range and flew away! In the 63rd minute, Palmer crossed from a set-piece from the right, and Thiago Silva's header hit the goal, which also bounced off the post.
In the 71st minute, Callum Hudson-Odoi made an easy advance to the edge of the box from the left and cut inside to shoot inside and the crossbar saved Chelsea's life.
In the 75th minute, Zeles's long pass instigated a counterattack, Gibbs-White advanced and split the ball, Hudson-Odoi cut away Gusto, and shot straight into the corner, breaking through the door of his old club, and Nottingham Forest took the lead 2-1.
In the 80th minute, Caicedo split the ball in the middle, Sterling cut into the far corner, and Chelsea equalized, 2-2! In the 82nd minute, Caicedo's long pass to the right flank, Reece James crossed at high speed, Jackson scored with a header, and Chelsea scored two goals in two minutes to achieve a 3-2 reversal.
The scoreline remained unchanged for the remainder of the game, as Chelsea avenged a 1-0 first-leg defeat with a narrow 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest and broke a 25-year run of a home win from Forest.
After this campaign, Chelsea equalled Newcastle in front of them with 57 points and remained in seventh place in the table, leaving Manchester United behind them desperate.