Anthony Elanga scored a rare club goal as Nottingham Forest beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the first time since January 1995.

Elanga, brought on in the first half due to an injury to Danilo, calmly slotted in the game's only goal three minutes after the break when he raced onto Taiwo Awoniyi's pass following a mix-up between Moises Caicedo and Conor Gallagher. It was Elanga's first strike in 44 club appearances.

Chelsea had made a bright start to the match but struggled to create many clear-cut chances and it was Forest who missed the two best opportunities before half-time through the in-form Awoniyi.

Mauricio Pochettino introduced new £42.5m signing Cole Palmer and the returning Mykhailo Mudryk as he looked for a way back into the contest and he almost found one, but Nicolas Jackson could not hit the target from a few yards out late on.

Thiago Silva also went close as the clock ticked towards the final whistle and Raheem Sterling drilled an effort wide deep into stoppage time, but Forest held on for a famous victory - their first at Chelsea in over 28 years.

Player ratings

Chelsea: Sanchez (6), Disasi (6), Silva (6), Colwill (6), Gusto (6), Gallagher (7), Caicedo (6), Chilwell (6), Sterling (6), Fernandez (6), Jackson (6).

Subs: Palmer (6), Madueke (6), Mudryk (6), Maatsen (6).

Nottingham Forest: Turner (7), Boly (8), Worrall (7), McKenna (7), Aurier (6), Mangala (6), Danilo (6), Aina (6), Yates (7), Gibbs-White (6), Awoniyi (7).

Subs: Elanga (8), Wood (6), Montiel (6), Tavares (6), Kouyate (6).

Player of the match: Anthony Elanga.

How Chelsea were stunned by Forest

Despite nine new signings, Chelsea boss Pochettino has made just two changes to his starting line-up in their four Premier League games this season - but they have won only one of them.

It was club-record signing Moises Caicedo who was at fault for Elanga's goal, while new arrival Palmer could not stamp his mark on proceedings following his cameo from the bench.

Sterling, fresh off his double against Luton, had a good chance in the opening moments but Ola Aina's brave challenge kept the Chelsea man at bay.

As Sterling set about trying to prove he was worthy of a place in the England squad he was once again omitted from last week, it was Gallagher - who did make Gareth Southgate's cut - who bent a shot just wide of the target.

Sterling, the liveliest spark in Chelsea's attack during a forgettable first half, crossed for Ben Chilwell but he could not turn home the low centre as a stop-start first half wore on.

Forest enjoyed some possession down their right and earned a free-kick in a dangerous area when Thiago Silva dragged Awoniyi to the ground, with the in-form striker flashing a shot over the crossbar after the resulting set-piece dropped to him in the box.

Having already scored at the Emirates Stadium and Old Trafford this season, Awoniyi came close again with an acrobatic close-range effort that flashed just wide of a post.

The visitors were forced into a change in first-half stoppage time as Danilo limped off after chasing a ball over the top, with Elanga on in his place. The Sweden forward - signed from Manchester United this summer - got off the mark for Forest shortly after the restart.

A heavy touch in midfield from Caicedo gifted possession to Forest with Chelsea's defence out of position and the away side took full advantage.

Awoniyi threaded a pass through the legs of Silva and into the path of Elanga, who coolly slotted past Robert Sanchez to break the deadlock.

Chelsea toiled in their quest to draw level as Pochettino threw on Noni Madueke, Palmer, Ian Maatsen and Mudryk in search of a goal.

It should have come through Jackson but the summer arrival from Villarreal turned over on the stretch from six yards after some good work from Sterling picked him out in a great position as Forest, who had already performed admirably in narrow defeats at Arsenal and Manchester United, finally got a result against a top-six club that their displays had deserved.

Merson: Chelsea never looked like scoring

Sky Sports' Paul Merson on Soccer Saturday:

"Forest defended very well, they put their bodies on the line. If you play 10 men behind the ball against Chelsea, they find it so difficult to break them down.

"It's so slow and mundane. It's never constant pressure, they never pin teams in. They never looked like scoring. This has been an issue for a couple of years now."

Opta stats: A fifth home defeat for Chelsea in 2023

Chelsea have lost their fifth Premier League home game in 2023, their most in a calendar year since 1995 (also 5), while only in 1993 have the ever lost more in the competition (7).

The Blues had 21 shots against Nottingham Forest with just two hitting the target, the Blues last had a lower shooting accuracy in a Premier League game against Queens Park Rangers in January 2013 (8% 2/26).

Nottingham Forest have defeated Chelsea in all competitions for the first time since January 1997 (2-0 in the Premier League), ending a run of nine such matches against the Blues without a victory (drawn two and lost seven).

Forest have won just their second Premier League away game since their promotion in 2022 (D5 L16), ending a run of 12 such games without victory (drawn three and lost nine) since their 1-0 win against Southampton in January.

What's next?

Chelsea head to Bournemouth after the international break on Sunday September 17, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 2pm.

Nottingham Forest host Burnley on September 18, live on Monday Night Football; kick-off 8pm.

Click Here for Official Teamsheet

Teams

Chelsea Sanchez, Gusto (Mudryk 77), Disasi, Silva, Colwill, Fernandez, Caicedo (Maatsen 77), Gallagher (Palmer 62), Sterling, Chilwell (c) (Madueke 62), Jackson
Subs Not Used Bergstrom, Petrovic, Cucurella, Ugochukwu, Washington
Booked Chilwell, Jackson, Gallagher
Goals

Nottingham Forest Turner, Worrall (c), McKenna, Boly, Aurier (Montiel 72), Yates, Mangala (Tavares 73), Danilo (Elanga 45+3), Aina (Kouyate 73), Gibbs-White, Awoniyi (Wood 65)
Subs Not Used Horvath, Felipe, Niakhate, Aguilera
Booked Aina, Yates, Tavares, Turner
Goals Elanga 48

Attendance 39,820

Referee Tim Robinson

VAR Jarred Gillett