CC: Chelsea 5-1 Nottingham Forest
Michy Batshuayi scored a hat-trick
Michy Batshuayi scored a hat-trick as Chelsea thrashed Nottingham Forest 5-1 in the EFL Cup third round at Stamford Bridge.
Blues boss Antonio Conte named a strong XI for the tie against the Championship side with Eden Hazard making his first start of the season. However, Forest had the first effort on target in the fifth minute but Willy Caballero made the save to deny Andreas Bouchalakis' long-range strike.
Chelsea almost created an opening on eight minutes with Joe Worrall producing a timely block to prevent Charly Musonda from firing into the net after being played through by Tiemoue Bakayoko.
The Blues came forward again and took the lead on 13 minutes when Antonio Rudiger's long ball from the right dropped to Kenedy on the far side of the area and he beat Stephen Henderson inside his near post with a first-time strike.
Chelsea made it 2-0 five minutes later when Eden Hazard did well on the edge of the area to thread a pass through to Batshuayi and he finished past Henderson from close range. Forest went close to pulling a goal back on 27 minutes but Kieran Dowell watched as his free-kick from just outside the area crashed off the crossbar with Caballero rooted to the spot.
Chelsea virtually killed the tie on 40 minutes when Cesc Fabregas laid the ball into the path of Musonda wide on the right and he unleashed a low, angled strike which beat the dive of Henderson and found the far corner. Musonda almost made it 4-0 in stoppage time after being put through by Fabregas but put his effort just wide having beat Henderson.
Hazard came close to getting on the scoresheet on 49 minutes when he cut inside the area and put the ball onto his right-foot before hitting the post with Henderson beaten.
However, the Belgian played a big part in Chelsea's fourth on 53 minutes when he raced into the area and drew Henderson off his line, before teeing up Batshuayi who had the simple task of putting the ball into the empty net.
Forest looked to get a goal back with Ben Brereton going close as he raced away down the left and fired just wide, before fellow substitute Zac Clough almost caught out Caballero with a free-kick from the left which just dipped over the bar on 80 minutes.
But it was 5-0 on 86 minutes when Batshuayi scored his hat-trick goal in fortuitous circumstances when Kenedy's effort from the left bounced down off the crossbar and rebounded into the net off him from close range.
Forest were rewarded for their perseverance with a goal in stoppage time when the ball rebounded into the path of Tendayi Darikwa and he made no mistake from close range.