Postecoglou sacked by Forest moments after 3-0 home loss to Chelsea

NOTTINGHAM, England – Nottingham Forest sacked manager Ange Postecoglou 20 minutes after they suffered a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday, which left the club languishing in 17th place and on the brink of slipping into the relegation zone.

Australian Postecoglou became the first Forest manager to fail to win any of his first eight games in charge of the Midlands side and the writing was on the wall at 2-0 when club owner Evangelos Marinakis left his seat in the stands.

A resounding chorus of boos met the final whistle and Postecoglou cut a lone figure near the centre circle as he applauded the handful of Forest fans who had stayed behind.

Chelsea’s Pedro Neto got a goal and an assist within three minutes at The City Ground and though the visitors were reduced to 10 men late on when Malo Gusto was sent off, they kept a clean sheet as the win lifted Enzo Maresca’s side to fourth.

“I feel very sorry, it’s always a shame,” Maresca told TNT Sports. “Unfortunately, it’s a business where you need to win games. Otherwise, for all of us, it’s the same consequences.”

Postecoglou rolled the dice by changing half his side from the last defeat and Forest did start the brighter of the two teams but could not find the net in a goalless first half.

Chelsea had a new-look midfield, with Cole Palmer sidelined for six more weeks and Enzo Fernandez not in the squad, while Moises Caicedo only made the bench.

Maresca was watching the game in the stands due to a one-match touchline ban and the Italian had his head in his hands when three significant errors gifted Forest clear chances.

Fortunately for Chelsea, the home side failed to capitalise on mistakes, with Morgan Gibbs-White coming closest with two big opportunities, curling a shot wide of the top corner and missing with an acrobatic effort moments later.

But Chelsea gradually grew into the game, carving out their best chances in the final 10 minutes. Andrey Santos came close twice, once firing over after a clever layoff from Joao Pedro while his next effort went wide.

Maresca made three substitutions at halftime and Chelsea were rewarded four minutes after the break when Neto’s cross into the box was headed home by the unmarked 19-year-old defender Josh Acheampong.

The mood at The City Ground changed drastically two minutes later when Chelsea earned a free kick.

Reece James rolled it to Neto whose effort pierced through the wall and past the hand of goalkeeper Matz Sels to leave Postecoglou fuming.

Forest thought they had scored in the 70th minute when Igor Jesus stretched to fire a shot on goal but the ball bounced off the bar and the post.

Any hopes of a comeback went up in smoke on another set-piece as Sels punched a corner into the path of James who fired home, sparking an exodus as Forest fans headed for the exits.

Chelsea’s only black mark came when Gusto was sent off for a second yellow card for scything down Neco Williams but they held on for their first clean sheet since August. (Reuters)