• Before the match, Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi predicted his side had ‘no chance’ of winning away at a team fourth in the top flight.
• However, Forest thought they should have had a chance to equalise when referee Peter Bankes gave a penalty after Mighten had been brought down by Fikayo Tomori.
Image: /REUTERS
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored one goal and made another as Chelsea beat Nottingham Forest in their FA Cup third-round tie.
The hosts only needed six minutes to score as Hudson-Odoi cut in from the right and shot into the bottom corner.
Forest, fourth in the Championship, were then awarded a penalty but, after a lengthy video assistant referee delay, the decision was reversed.
Chelsea soon had a second goal when Hudson-Odoi’s shot was parried with Ross Barkley scoring from close range.
Chelsea were playing in a retro kit, without players’ names on and the sponsorship faded, in tribute to their FA Cup winning-team of 1970 — the first time they won the competition. A number of players who played in the success over Leeds were also at Stamford Bridge and went on the pitch at half-time
Before the match, Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi predicted his side had ‘no chance’ of winning away at a team fourth in the top flight.
Forest only had two efforts at goal in the entire 90 minutes, including only one on target, and watched Chelsea dominate 76 per cent of possession.
Lamouchi had clearly prioritised trying to win promotion instead of aiming for a cup shock as he made 10 changes from the side that won 3-2 against Blackburn, including a first start for 17-year-old forward Alex Mighten and with five of his seven substitutes aged 21 or younger.
Chelsea made nine changes themselves, although their side still included plenty of Premier League experience, and they only needed six minutes before Hudson-Odoi scored following a fine passing move involving Barkley, Pedro and Michy Batshuayi.
However, Forest thought they should have had a chance to equalise when referee Peter Bankes gave a penalty after Mighten had been brought down by Fikayo Tomori.
But, following a VAR delay of two minutes and six seconds, Mighten was judged offside by the narrowest margin possible before the foul had occurred.
Chelsea took charge from then on as Batshuayi headed over from Reece James’ left-wing cross before Barkley scored Chelsea’s second after Jordan Smith had parried Hudson-Odoi’s effort.
Barkley nearly scored his second with a header in the second half following more good work from Hudson-Odoi, but Smith made a fingertip save to push the ball onto the post.
These two teams had met in the third round of the FA Cup exactly a year ago and Chelsea won it 2-0 on that occasion. Forest thought they had pulled one back when Ryan Yates glanced a header into the net but it was ruled offside by an assistant, before the decision was confirmed by VAR.
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard, who won the FA Cup four times as a player with the Blues, was able to bring on 19-year-old English midfielder Tariq Lamptey near the end, handing the teenager a home debut in the 76th minute.
England international Hudson-Odoi nearly had the final say, but shot just wide in injury time on a routine afternoon for his side.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard told BBC Sport: “These games are not easy. When they make changes it does not mean it’s an easier game. We got our two goals and it was very comfortable but did we push on from that and create and score more goals? No, we didn’t and I would’ve liked to have scored some more.”
“I was particularly pleased for Callum (Hudson-Odoi), he has had a bad injury, is getting himself fit and getting sharper. His goal was an early settler for us. There were performances around the pitch that were good and we need that.”
Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi told BBC Sport: “I don’t want to come on and talk about VAR. I’m so proud of the performance of my players, especially the young ones.
“Chelsea controlled the game and played at a low rhythm but it was a really good experience for the young players of my team. With or without VAR the result wouldn’t have been different.
“Chelsea are so so strong, so difficult (to play). The FA Cup started and ended for us today - it was not our goal, but the performance was very positive.”