Michy Batshuayi grabbed a hat-trick and Eden Hazard marked his first Chelsea start of the season with two assists as the Premier League champions crushed Nottingham Forest to move into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.
Blues boss Antonio Conte made nine changes from the side that drew 0-0 with Arsenal on Sunday but a strong and vastly experienced line-up proved way too strong for their Championship opponents.
Elsewhere, it was a night devoid of shocks as Manchester United overpowered Burton Albion, Everton eased past Sunderland and Arsenal beat Doncaster Rovers 1-0.
The closest to a shock came at the Hawthorns as West Brom scored a 72nd-minute equaliser against Manchester City before losing to Leroy Sane’s second of the night.
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At Stamford Bridge, Hazard looked sharp in attack and Cesc Fabregas and Tiemoue Bakayoko dominated the midfield, with the former having a hand in all three goals before the break.
Fabregas was involved in a sweeping move that led to Brazilian wing-back Kenedy volleying the opener and he won possession in the build up for Batshuayi’s close-range strike to make it 2-0.
As a result of our win tonight, we will now host Watford on Saturday 21 October, kick-off 12.30pm… 👇https://t.co/VQQTkKnEM6
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) September 20, 2017
And the Spanish midfielder’s cute reverse pass played in the impressive Charly Musonda, who drilled in number three on his full debut five minutes before the break.
Batshuayi’s second, after some brilliant selfless approach by Belgian team-mate Hazard, made it 4-0 soon after the interval and he completed his treble from on the line after Kenedy’s fierce strike had hit the frame of the goal.
Forest, who themselves made eight changes from the team beaten by Wolves on Saturday, almost scored at 2-0 down when on-loan Everton midfielder Kieran Dowell hit the bar with a clipped 20-yard free-kick.
Dowell was also narrowly off target with a first-time effort in the second half, while substitute Ben Brereton smashed an effort wide with his left foot.
Forest’s noisy 4,000 travelling support finally had something to cheer in stoppage time when Tendayi Darikwa netted from close range following a swift break.
Hazard too hot to handle
Hazard, who broke his ankle in June while on international duty, has made three substitute appearances in Chelsea’s past three matches and looked fit and strong as he lasted the full 90 minutes.
He was not involved as Brazilian wing-back Kenedy cleverly side-footed home the opener from Antonio Rudiger’s cross.
But he was a central figure thereafter, showing typical strength and power in possession, and his usual tricks and flicks despite clearly not being fully match-fit.
Hazard played a fine pass to tee up Batshuayi’s first goal and he ran through before cleverly dummying and setting up the striker for Chelsea’s fourth in the second half.
He also hit the post with a right-foot strike from 18 yards as Chelsea continued to make the most of the space created by Forest having to chase the game.
Chelsea finished the game with three teenage British substitutes on the pitch – Welsh defender Ethan Ampadu, 17, Jake Clarke-Salter, 19, and England Under-19 international Dujon Sterling.
