Chelsea stroll into Carabao Cup last sixteen

Chelsea coasted into the last sixteen of the Carabao Cup, winning with ease against Championship side Nottingham Forest. Goals by Kenedy, Musonda and a hat-trick from Michy Batshuayi were met unanswered by a positive but weak Forest side, who scored a consolation goal with the last kick of the goal from Darikwa.

The clash brought together two teams with a strong history in the competition, winning the trophy nine times between them. Forest were backed by 4000 travelling supporters in West London, and captained by Michael Mancienne who himself spent 14 years in Chelsea's youth ranks.

In many ways, it was Forest's own adventurousness that brought about their downfall in the first half. Having committed men forward, Chelsea found space on the wings and made them pay for it. Rüdiger’s searching cross from the touchline sailed past the far post and was met by a marauding Kenedy, on hand to cushion the ball first time into the net for Chelsea’s first of the night.

Likewise, it was Forest’s insistence on playing out from the back that brought about a second for the ‘Blues’. Pinching the ball, Hazard slid through to a waiting Batshuayi who slotted home easily. The Chelsea danger from the vacated flanks continued, as a wonderful cross from Kenedy slid unmet across the face of goal, before Zappacosta had a goal from the right hand side flagged offside.

Perhaps the best moment of the night came as Chelsea scored their third. With Fabregas having all the time in the world in front of the box, the Spaniard set up the lively Charly Musonda Jr on the right hand side of the box, who released an impressive low drive into the bottom corner of Henderson’s goal. The youngster celebrated wildly on his full debut, with Stamford Bridge proud of the significance of the goal scored by an academy star. Musonda could have had a second before half-time after being found Fabregas again, but wasn’t able to find the target.

The second half started with the same story. This time, the Championship side almost began with a bang, forcing Chelsea into last-ditch defending in the box. The resulting counter attack almost saw them punished though: Eden Hazard was inches away from a splendid fourth for Chelsea, toying with the Forest defence before striking the upright.

Fifty three minutes in, Chelsea had their fourth. Hazard was at it again, collecting a long ball from Fabregas and drifting past the Forest goalkeeper Henderson. With the goal gaping, Hazard instead passed unselfishly to Belgian compatriot Michy Batshuayi who put the ball into an open net. The Belgian would go on to score an even easier third, and Chelsea’s fifth, when a rasping Kenedy shot hit the underside of the bar and bounced off a standing Batshuayi into the net. Nottingham Forest found a consolation with the last kick of the game, as their 4000 travelling fans were rewarded with Darikwa’s bundled in goal.

A flurry of academy youngsters saw game time at Stamford Bridge, led by a stellar Charly Musonda Jr up front. Ethan Ampadu - born in the year 2000 - played his first 35 minutes in the centre of the park, later joined by debutants Jake Clarke-Salter and Dujon Sterling. With John Terry the last academy graduate to become a consistent first team fixture at Chelsea, ‘Blues’ fans will be hoping this match can be the start of a sea change at Stamford Bridge.