Carabao Cup 2017/18, Chelsea 5-1 Nottingham Forest: 5 Talking Points
A Michy Batshuayi hat-trick helped Chelsea to a 5-1 victory over Nottingham Forest in the third round of the EFL Cup.
Kenedy and Charly Musonda also got their names on the scoresheet as the Blues breezed past their second-tier opponents to set up a fourth-round clash with Everton.
Tendayi Darikwa netted for Forest with virtually the last kick of the game, but it was nothing more than a consolation goal for Mark Warburton’s men.
1. Batshuayi will want to make the most of his starts like he did today
Michy Batshuayi would have hoped for more opportunities in his debut Chelsea campaign. The Belgian international, signed from Marseille in the summer of 2016, started just a single Premier League game last term, and although he has already equalled that tally in 2017/18, Batshuayi clearly remains a backup option behind main man Alvaro Morata.
Hence, it is imperative that the 23-year-old makes the most of any opportunities that come his way this season. He did exactly that on Wednesday night, scoring a hat-trick to ease Chelsea through to the fourth round of the competition.
His first came after 19 minutes as he beat Stephen Henderson after being picked out by Eden Hazard. His second was also set up by his fellow Belgian, Hazard dancing his way through the Forest defence before laying the ball on a plate for his team-mate.
There was more than an element of good fortune to Batshuayi's third, but the striker nevertheless deserves credit for being in the right place at the right time.