Chelsea 2 Nottingham Forest 0: Alvaro Morata hits double but Cesc Fabregas misses penalty in farewell game for Blues
Youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi starred with two assists at Stamford Bridge to send the holders through
ALVARO MORATA rediscovered his goal touch but still can’t remember how to smile.
The scowling Spanish striker scored twice in ten minutes to ease the tension at Stamford Bridge and put the holders into the fourth round.
But football’s gloomiest star greeted both goals - his first since late November - with nothing more than a shrug while leaving the celebrations to his more animated team-mates.
It’s possible the lack of a grin was down to the fact Chelsea’s erratic forward also missed two good chances to add to his tally.
The worst of which was a glaring blunder when he managed to put the ball over the crossbar from three yards out of an open goal sixty seconds before grabbing his second of a testing afternoon.
Chelsea were frustrating yet again despite what appears to be a comfortable scoreline.
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Cesc Fabregas, playing his farewell game for the club before joining Monaco, was made captain for the day in a ceremonial act by boss Maurizio Sarri.
And the highly-decorated midfielder will remember the occasion more for an embarrassing penalty miss in the first half when he chose a trendy stutter-run instead of blasting the ball or picking a spot.
It made for an easy save for Forest’s understudy keeper Luke Steele to make an easy save from a World Cup winner -something he too will always remember.
Sarri was forced into an early reshuffle too when injury struck Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
The youth team product was playing well and had won the penalty which Fabregas missed thanks to his tricky feet in the box.
But Loftus-Cheek looked to be fighting back tears of despair when he was forced to come off three minutes before half-time with what may be a recurrence of a back injury.
Forest only came out of their shell when they were trailing with Adlene Guedioura notching the Championship side’s first shot on target in the 54th minute with a long range effort at Willy Caballero.
Sarri made eight changes from the team which drew 0-0 with Southampton in their last match - with youngsters Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ethan Ampadu in the starting line up.
Hudson-Odoi provided both crosses for Morata’s goals after switching from the left flan to the right to make way when Eden Hazard came off the bench for Loftus-Cheek.
Morata was substituted with 15 minutes left to warm applause from Chelsea fans but even snubbed a congratulations from Sarri to head straight down the tunnel.