'I feel sorry for the fans' - Joao Pedro admits 'everyone needs to look at themselves' at Chelsea after dismal home loss to Nottingham Forest

Chelsea's poor run of results continued with a painful 3-1 home defeat to Forest, extending their league losing run to six games for the first time since 1993. The result also confirmed that Champions League qualification via the league is now mathematically impossible, leaving the Blues ninth in the table before a tough trip to Anfield. Should Aston Villa win the Europa League and finish fifth, a sixth-placed finish would be enough for the Blues to reach Europe's premier club competition, although it's a scenario that remains highly unlikely.

After the final whistle, Joao Pedro admitted Chelsea must take collective responsibility for their struggles. The striker also apologised to supporters and stressed that every player must reflect on their own performance.

"From the beginning we conceded too early which made it really difficult to turn the game around,” he told reporters. “We need to find a way not to make these mistakes every game. This is the Premier League. If you concede very early, it’s difficult to come back. Everyone needs to look at themselves, me included, to find a way to do better. I feel sorry for the fans. We need to see where we can improve."

Several moments summed up Chelsea’s troubled afternoon. Cole Palmer missed a penalty, while Malo Gusto conceded a spot-kick that Igor Jesus converted to double Forest’s lead.

Joao Pedro added about the Blues' performance: "We need to improve. Everyone needs to step up, me included. We always talk to each other to find a way to win games. Last week we beat Leeds, this week it didn’t happen. We need to find a way to be consistent. I think the motivation is always there. We still need to fight for every point, every game and in the end, we can see what we can achieve."

Chelsea must quickly bounce back as they prepare for a tough trip to Anfield, low on confidence after a prolonged slump in form. The Blues face increasing pressure to stabilise their form before the season ends. Meanwhile, Forest shift their focus back to Europe, where they face Aston Villa in the Europa League semi-finals, holding a 1-0 lead from the first leg.