Callum Hudson-Odoi, Ross Barkley Lead Chelsea Past Nottingham Forest in FA Cup

Chelsea advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. 

Callum Hudson-Odoi opened the scoring after just six minutes, and Ross Barkley added to the lead before half-time. Forest rarely threatened the Blues, who cruised to the final whistle.

Chelsea made a dream start to Sunday's match, opening the scoring after just a few minutes. The ball was worked to Hudson-Odoi, who cut inside on to his left foot before firing the ball into the bottom corner.

He's been an effective option at home for the Blues:

The early lead was exactly what the favourites needed and allowed them to settle into the game. Forest could do little to gain a foothold in the midfield battle, although Alex Mighten threatened just about every time he got on the ball.

Emerson and Barkley both caused some panic in the Forest box with crosses that went begging, and Michy Batshuayi got in the way of a Pedro shot that looked destined for the net.

Forest nearly found a shock breakthrough midway through the first half, when Mighten earned the team a penalty after he was pulled back by Fikayo Tomori. The video assistant referee overruled the decision, however, spotting a marginal offside in the buildup.

ESPN FC's Dale Johnson didn't believe Tomori committed a foul to begin with:

The Blues pushed for a second goal and found it shortly after the half-hour mark, with Barkley firing home a rebound after Hudson-Odoi's initial effort was saved.

The last chance of the half fell to Batshuayi, who couldn't keep his header on target after lovely work from Reece James.

Chelsea eased their way into the second half, dropping the intensity even further. It led to a cagey start and Forest's first real chance of the match, with Willy Caballero making a routine save from Joao Carvalho.

Jordan Smith also got to show his ability in the Forest goal, making an excellent save to keep out Barkley's header. Mateo Kovacic tried to get a shot away from a promising position, but miscued his attempt and missed the target.

The VAR again played a major role in the second half, ruling out a Ryan Yates goal for offside. Per Liam Twomey of the Athletic, it was another close call:

Batshuayi did not have a good outing on Sunday and perhaps should have scored with 20 minutes on the clock, diverting a cross over the bar.

The final 20 minutes played out without major incidents, with Mighten the only visiting player who still put up a fight.

What's Next?

The Blues will host Burnley on Saturday. Forest visit Reading that same day.