'Everyone needs to look at themselves' - Joao Pedro demands Chelsea stars 'step up' after dismal Nottingham Forest defeat leaves Champions League hopes dangling by thread

Chelsea's afternoon went from bad to worse almost immediately as they slumped to a 3-1 defeat against Nottingham Forest, leaving their Champions League aspirations in tatters. The Blues fell behind after just 98 seconds, a lapse that set the tone for a performance Joao Pedro described as unacceptable.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, the Brazilian attacker was blunt about the team's failings. "From the beginning, we conceded too early and against Forest it's difficult to change the game. I think we should do better," Pedro admitted.

"We need to find a way to try to not do these mistakes every game. We need to start to win games. This is the Premier League and if you concede too early after that it's very difficult to come back."

Chelsea have now lost six Premier League games in a row, with Monday's defeat just their second game under interim coach Calum McFarlane, who oversaw last week's win against Leeds in the FA Cup. Pedro has refused to point the finger at management, though, instead turning the spotlight directly onto the multi-million pound squad that failed to perform on the pitch.

"Everyone needs to look at themselves - me included," Pedro insisted. "We need to find a way to do better. I feel sorry for the fans - tomorrow we will see what has gone wrong. It's difficult because I don't think it's about the coach. It's about the players and it's on us to step up, me included. It's difficult to say something."

The defeat was particularly painful given the stakes involved in the race for the top five. With the season reaching its business end, Chelsea knew that three points would have kept them firmly in the hunt for a return to Europe's elite competition. Instead, they remain stuck in mid-table obscurity.

Pedro acknowledged the gravity of the situation, saying: "The motivation is always there - today if we won we would be able to be in the Champions League. Now it will be more difficult but we need to still fight for every game and for every point and see what we can achieve."

The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge grew toxic as the game progressed, with the home support losing patience as individual errors plagued the performance. When asked if the squad truly understands the gravity of their situation, Pedro maintained that there is a collective effort to rectify the issues behind closed doors.

"Yes, of course. We support the leaders [in the team]," he said regarding the squad's awareness. "We always talk to each other to find a way to win games."