Postecoglou sacked by Forest moments after 3-0 home loss to Chelsea

NOTTINGHAM, England :Nottingham Forest sacked manager Ange Postecoglou 20 minutes after they suffered a 3-0 defeat by Chelsea in the Premier League on Saturday which left the club languishing in 17th place and on the brink of slipping into the relegation zone.

Australian Postecoglou became the first Forest manager to fail to win any of his first eight games in charge of the Midlands side and the writing was on the wall at 2-0 when club owner Evangelos Marinakis left his seat in the stands.

A resounding chorus of boos met the final whistle and Postecoglou cut a lone figure near the centre circle as he applauded the handful of Forest fans who had stayed behind.

Chelsea's Pedro Neto got a goal and an assist within three minutes at The City Ground and though the visitors were reduced to 10 men late on when Malo Gusto was sent off, they kept a clean sheet as the win lifted Enzo Maresca's side to fourth.

"I feel very sorry, it's always a shame," Maresca told TNT Sports. "Unfortunately it's a business where you need to win games. Otherwise, for all of us, it's the same consequences."

FOREST START BRIGHTER BUT NO GOALS

Postecoglou rolled the dice by changing half his side from the last defeat and Forest did start the brighter of the two teams but could not find the net in a goalless first half.

Chelsea had a new-look midfield, with Cole Palmer sidelined for six more weeks and Enzo Fernandez not in the squad while Moises Caicedo only made the bench.

Maresca was watching the game in the stands due to a one-match touchline ban and the Italian had his head in his hands when three significant errors gifted Forest clear chances.

Fortunately for Chelsea, the home side failed to capitalise on mistakes, with Morgan Gibbs-White coming closest with