SERGE AURIER scored his first Premier League goal for over two years in another poor result for Chelsea boss Graham Potter.
Forest defender Aurier had not found the net since Spurs battered Manchester United 6-1 at Old Trafford in October 2020.
Sterling opened the scoring for Chelsea
Sterling now has four Premier League goals this term
Aurier equalised volleying home past Kepa
The ex-Spurs right-back joined for free in the summer
But the Ivorian full-back delivered a striker’s finish in the 63rd minute as Steve Cooper’s team scored for the first time this season after conceding.
It was no more than Forest deserved.
Equally, though, Chelsea, so comfortable at half-time as they led through a goal from Raheem Sterling, will once again wonder how they let another three points slip through their fingers.
It is now just one win in seven League games for Graham Potter, whose side now face Manchester City on Thursday.
After taking a step forward in the 2-0 Boxing Day win over Bournemouth, this was two steps backwards.
Yet despite only leading at the break with that 16th minute Sterling goal, Chelsea were controlling the game.
Mason Mount wasted the first chance with a shot off target, much to the delight of the home fans who accused him of being a Derby reject.
Brennan Johnson used his pace to get clear of Marc Cucurella but his initial shot, and also the rebound, were saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
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Morgan Gibbs-White, who created that chance with a ball over the top, hammered a shot against the legs of Cesar Azpilicueta and there was a sense that Forest were gaining some momentum.
But that all changed when Boly attempted to flick a cross from Mount away to safety.
Trying to prevent Kai Havertz from being presented with a decent chance, Boly sent the ball looping into the air, onto the bar and then out to a shocked but grateful Sterling.
The England international actually did well to keep his composure as he had little time to think about the chance but from six yards out, he took a gentle swing at the ball with his right foot and Renan Lodi, standing on the line, did not have a chance.
Referee Peter Bankes then went on to infuriate the home team by awarding a string of free-kicks to Chelsea
Yet regardless of the ref, Forest were still poor in the first half. Worryingly, Cooper’s side have failed to score a first half goal in 12 of their 17 games.
Less than 90 seconds after the break, Taiwo Awonyi got into a good position but drove a shot straight at Kepa.
And Awonyi was then left furious with team-mate Johnson for failing to square for what could have been a simple tap-in.
Instead, Johnson went for glory and his shot was too near the Chelsea keeper and also at an easy height to push away.
When Kepa was beaten by a decent shot, a stunning first-time effort by Gibbs-White on the edge of the area, Chelsea were saved by the woodwork.
Yet Forest deserved an equaliser and it eventually came when Chelsea failed to clear Gibbs-White’s corner.
Weirdly, Christian Pulisic jumped too early, Boly won an easy header and Aurier controlled the ball with his chest and then swivelled to squeeze a shot past Kepa at the near post.
Potter made a triple substitution with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Conor Gallagher and Hakim Ziyech all introduced but it had no effect.
Chelsea will have to be a hell of a lot better against City on Thursday or else things could start getting really tricky for Potter.
