Noni Madueke equalizes but ten-man Nottingham Forest hold on against Chelsea | Premier League

There was a sending off, a series of punches, a late header that couldn't be missed and two chances for goal machine Cole Palmer. But not even Chelsea, who are on a five-game winning streak, could break Nottingham Forest's unbeaten record on the road this season.

Two brilliant saves at either end in 13 minutes of added time probably rightly ensured that this high-profile Premier League clash ended in victory, but even then Robert Sanchez was at full strength to keep out substitute Jota Silva's header, as the clock ran out the 104th minute.

The late drama was sparked by the sending off of James Ward-Prowse. When the England international had his legs in a race with Nicolas Jackson from the halfway line in the 78th minute, they quickly disappeared under him and he grabbed the ball to stop the Chelsea striker from sprinting away in a completely calculated manner. He was almost at the end when he was shown the second yellow card.

It was a surprise that more were not added moments later when Neco Williams was on Marc Cucurella's heels and sent him running into Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca in the technical area. Around 15 players and staff clashed in angry protests and while there were only two yellow cards for the early protagonists, the scale of the provocation means there will almost certainly be charges from the FA in the morning.

Previously it had been a real 11-on-11 duel in the truest sense of the word, as the bearers of the numbers for each team contributed the most to the fascination.

Chelsea's No.11 Noni Madueke spent the entire first half personally tasked with finding the net after Palmer's four goals in the previous Premier League game. Within 10 minutes he had a shot hit the near post and twice shot a few centimeters over the crossbar.

Apparently left-back Alex Moreno was a target, and when he seemingly brought down Palmer, who was lying disheveled on the turf, with a flung boot, he was relieved when he looked up and saw the assistant had already raised his flag for offside earlier had hoisted in the move.

This season, Forest have been the masters of the away attack – just ask Southampton and Liverpool – and Murillo highlighted their danger when he read out a clearance to Palmer, entered on the halfway line, strode forward and fired a 25-yard shot that Robert Sanchez slapped his palms forward alertly

But even when they didn't realize it, Forest was on the edge of a precipice. It was just a momentary mistake from Murillo when he flicked the ball over his back before half-time, but Madueke was there to snatch the ball away from him, run to the line and dangerously block his cross.

Ola Aina's timely attack took the edge off Palmer's 10-yard shot, but grazed the heels of Nicolas Jackson but still hit the post and rolled over the goal line. Matz Sels, who was falling backwards, threw an arm forward to stop the ball, which was only half in the goal, and quickly sat on it.

And there was still time for Ryan Yates to stand unmarked 15 yards from the Chelsea goal and fire a shot that would have opened the door had Levi Colwill's slightly more resilient thigh not been thrust impenetrably into the path.

Although it seemed inevitable that a goal would soon be scored, there were still doubts as to which way it would go. Four minutes into the second period we had our answer.

Nikola Milenkovic took James Ward-Prowse's free-kick from the edge of the center circle and Chris Wood's toe pushed the ball into the corner like the good old-fashioned center forward he likes to be.

Madueke couldn't be more different and despite putting in so much footwork in the first half, he perhaps tried too hard when shooting. However, in the 58th minute he showed the nonchalance of a Turkish Olympian when he recognized his target, pulled the trigger and hammered the ball straight into the tiny target just behind the far post.

Then, two minutes later, Madueke side-footed a much easier chance over the bar.

Jackson stormed off, sparking another period of mesmerizing pinball games in the Forest area – again with no one managing to spin it correctly to win the prize; Had Ward-Prowse released him a second time, Chelsea could be looking for a sixth win in a row and Forest's run might have come to a creeping end.

But then it wouldn't be Premier League football.