Chelsea's teenage stars shine in the rain

Chelsea 5-1 Ajax

Nottingham Forest 0-3 Chelsea

Quite why the sprinklers were used to douse the Stamford Bridge turf just before kick-off against Dutch giants Ajax on Wednesday night remains a mystery.

For the heavens opened and a torrential rainstorm engulfed SW6 for hours, leaving Chelsea's young players and their Champions League opponents slipping, splashing and skidding on the greasy surface.

It may have been a factor when a high, dangerous tackle on Facundo Buonanotte led to a red card for Ajax midfielder Ken Taylor, leaving the visitors with 10 men for 72 minutes of the tie.

The Blues made the most of the situation, with the 5-1 victory including European goals for three teenagers – an all-time record which underlines how much future potential resides in the squad.

Enzo Maresca made 10 changes to the team that beat Forest at the weekend, leading to some initial unease about the strength of the starting line-up.

But all fears vanished as Marc Guiu scored from the free kick that followed the sending-off, Moises Caicedo added a second – deflected – strike, and a brace of penalties converted by Enzo Fernandez and new favourite Estevao made the game safe before the break.

Sub Tyrique George made it five in the 48th minute, again aided by a deflection, and although Tosin stood on the foot of Raul Moro, conceding a penalty converted by the lofty Wout Weghorst, Ajax never really threatened goalie Filip Jorgensen for the entire match. Indeed, Jorgensen almost saved that 32nd-minute spot-kick, with the ball just squirming under his body.

Estevao, who was audacious enough to try to add a cheeky bicycle kick to Chelsea's tally in the dying seconds (watched, incidentally, by Eidur Gudjohnsen, who scored the Blues' definitive bicycle-kick goal), is the new supporters' favourite – at least until Cole Palmer finally conquers his groin strain and returns to duty.

Meanwhile another youthful star of the future came on for Caicedo in the 49th minute of the Champions League match, defender Josh Acheampong. Drafted in to plug a gap at the back after Levi Colwill's injury, he is seizing his moment and making a case as a regular starter.

Forest easily cut down

The 19-year-old, who towers at 6ft 3in, scored his first goal for the club he joined as an eight-year-old as the Blues defeated Nottingham Forest at the weekend – a firm header past keeper Matz Sels from a Pedro Neto cross.

The 3-0 win, with additional goals from Neto and Reece James (on his 200th Chelsea appearance), also saw off ex-Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou. He was sacked – not as Blues fans had chanted "in the morning" – but within half an hour of the final whistle.

"I'm very happy for Josh that he could score his first goal for the club," said manager Enzo Maresca, having clambered down from the stand where he had sat following his recent red card. "He's a good player, but he has to continue to work hard. For sure he's going to be an important player for this club."

Although the only red card flashed by German ref Feliz Zwayer in midweek was shown to a Dutch player, Chelsea's disciplinary issues continue. The Blues have been shown red cards in five of their last seven games, with the pattern continuing in Nottingham when Malo Gusto became the latest to take an early walk down the tunnel.

"It's something that we can do better, but I'm not concerned," said Maresca when questioned. Yet he may have to show some concern if the record doesn't improve.

Chelsea are not only rock bottom of the Premier League's fair play table with an embarrassing 29 points, counting one for each yellow and five per red, but they are also bottom if you combine the fair play stats for the past three years.

The explanation? Pundits have suggested youthful exuberance and inexperience is to blame, with Maresca's squad against Forest on Saturday being the youngest in the entire Premier League so far this season.

With Chelsea's women now on an international break, the men host Sunderland this weekend, hoping to have 11 players on the pitch at the end to celebrate a positive result.