“One of a kind”, “Different class” - Fans salute Chelsea star for ‘unbelievable’ moment in thrilling 3-2 win vs Nottingham Forest

Chelsea fans on social media have heaped praise on captain Reece James for his game-winning assist against Nottingham Forest.

The Blues came from 2-1 behind to beat Forest 3-2 at the City Ground in a Premier League encounter on Saturday, May 11. James notably made his first appearance for the club since a 2-0 win over Blackburn Rovers in the fourth round of the EFL Cup back in November last year. He had missed over six months of action after undergoing surgery for a hamstring injury.

The Englishman replaced Conor Gallagher in the 79th minute. Just three minutes later, he set up Nicolas Jackson for the match-winner with a cross from the right wing, which the forward headed home at the far-post.

After the game, Chelsea fans on X (formerly Twitter) lauded James for his instant impact, with one of them writing:

"Reece James comes in and 3 minutes later the comeback is completed. Unbelievable."

Another tweeted:

"I swear, there is no substitute for Reece James. He's different class."

A third fan wrote:

"That's what your superstars do. That's what separates the greats from the elites. Reece James, one of a kind."

Yet another supporter tweeted:

"11 minutes played and assisted the winner. Reece James is that guy. ©️"

Here are a few more reactions from fans:

Apart from assisting Jackson's goal, James completed all 10 of his pass attempts and won three of his five duels. The 24-year-old also recorded a tackle, with his team not conceding during his time on the pitch.

Earlier in the contest, Mykhaylo Mudryk gave Mauricio Pochettino's side the lead in the eighth minute, but Forest responded eight minutes later through Willy Boly. Former Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi handed the hosts a surprise 74th-minute lead, with Raheem Sterling making it 2-2 six minutes later.

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"Massive for us" - Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino on Reece James' return from injury

Speaking after the win on Saturday, Pochettino highlighted the importance of James' comeback. He also expressed regret with the fact that they have only two more Premier League games left this season.

Pochettino said (as quoted by @JacobsBen on X):

"It's massive for us. It's also unlucky because we only have two games left this season [for him to play in]. He is such an important player. He's our captain and we all love him."'

Prior to the win over Nottingham Forest, James had played just nine times across competitions for Chelsea this season, recording two assists. It continued a worrying trend from the 2022-23 campaign, during which he played just 24 times due to knee and hamstring injuries.