Chelsea win tempered by fresh injury for James, Man United chop Forest

Chelsea returned to winning ways in their first appearance after the World Cup break, but delight at their 2-0 home victory over Bournemouth on Tuesday was tempered by new injury concern for Reece James.

Manchester United cruised to a 3-0 victory over Nottingham Forest in Tuesday night's other clash.

England right-back James lasted only 53 minutes on his return from the knee injury that ruled him out of the World Cup in Qatar, leaving Chelsea fearing the worst as they await a more detailed examination and prognosis.

“He’s not good but we’ll have to wait and see. It’s too early for me to speculate but whenever he comes off like that, it is not positive,” manager Graham Potter said.

Eight minutes into the second half, James signalled to the bench that he needed to come off before going down in some discomfort. He looked distraught as he lay on the pitch at Stamford Bridge receiving treatment but did walk off on his own.

The 23-year-old had surgery after suffering a knee injury against AC Milan in the Champions League on Oct. 11 and it was the knee that looked to be the cause of his anguish again.

“We’ll have to keep our fingers crossed and find out in the next day or two,” added Potter.

Chelsea, who had not won in their last five league matches and started Tuesday’s game ninth in the standings, were rejuvenated with James in the right-back position as they scored twice in the opening 23 minutes to secure the three points.

On the eve of the match, Potter had said James was in a “good place” after the “challenging period” of missing out on the World Cup.

“It was a World Cup and they come around every four years. So when you're young, the perspective is not so easy to get,” said Potter.

“I have to say he is in a good mood, he is in a good place. He has trained with us, is training well and is a good team mate. He has dealt with it well.”

England striker Marcus Rashford continued his fine scoring form as United swept past Forest.

Rashford, who scored three times for England at the World Cup in Qatar, set United on their way to victory with a well-placed finish from a corner in the 19th minute, before Anthony Martial doubled the hosts' lead three minutes later.

Forest thought they had got back into the match midway through the first half, but Willy Boly's goal from a free-kick was ruled out for offside.

The visitors never looked like mounting a comeback, with United putting the seal on an impressive display as substitute Fred netted a late third, completing a victory that moves the fifth-placed hosts one point off the top four. Forest stay 19th.

“We have to score more goals, we created so many chances and it took us until just before the end to score the third goal, we need to take this moment earlier,” United boss Erik ten Hag told Amazon.

“Just before half time we had two really good chances to finish the game. There are many games to come, you can then save energy and it is better for everyone. For the progress of the team we need to be more clinical.

“You can see Martial and Rashford are goalscorers, Bruno Fernandes will score goals, but we have to be ruthless.”

Rashford has enjoyed a much-improved season in front of goal for club and country and, in his side's first league game back after the World Cup, his fine near-post finish from a well-worked corner broke the deadlock in the Old Trafford drizzle.

The goal took Rashford's tally to 10 for the season in all competitions, double what he managed last season; with another player who has his found his scoring touch again, Martial, converting Rashford's pass to add another quick-fire goal.

“Every forward has a number they want to try to reach,” Rashford told Amazon.

“For me it's to score more than I've ever scored in a season so for me I think it's 22 or 23. I need to try to keep scoring and affecting the games.”