A week after their remarkable victory at Old Trafford, Crystal Palace is back at Selhurst Park for a thrilling Premier League showdown with Nottingham Forest on Saturday evening.
Currently residing in the ninth spot on the Premier League table, Crystal Palace holds a three-point lead over Nottingham Forest, who are eager to put an end to their three-game winless streak as they make their way to South London.
Match Preview: Crystal Palace vs. Nottingham Forest
Old Trafford, once an impregnable fortress, has seen few visiting managers achieve success over the years.
However, Roy Hodgson may have a different perspective, as he guided his Crystal Palace side to a stunning 1-0 victory over Manchester United last weekend.
A thunderous first-half volley from Joachim Andersen proved sufficient for the determined Eagles to secure all three points.
Hodgson, at the age of 76, not only became the first-ever visiting Premier League manager to avoid defeat in five successive trips to Manchester United but also the second coach, following Pep Guardiola, to secure three consecutive wins at the Theatre of Dreams with the same club.
Crystal Palace has gathered seven of their 11 Premier League points away from home this season.
However, they return to Selhurst Park on Saturday, aiming to clinch their fourth top-flight victory of the campaign.
A win could propel them into the top seven before the international break, given favorable outcomes in other matches.
It has been a while since the Eagles secured back-to-back league wins, with their last opportunity being against Nottingham Forest.
However, this task might be challenging, considering their history. In six previous Premier League encounters, Crystal Palace has never managed to beat Nottingham Forest.
While Palace has lost only two of their last 13 home games in the top flight, their most recent encounter with Forest in May ended in a 1-1 draw.
Their last victory over the Reds in any competition dates back to December 2011 when Glenn Murray’s strike secured a 1-0 away win when both teams were in the Championship.
Nottingham Forest’s recent form has been underwhelming, following their impressive 1-0 win against Chelsea at the beginning of last month.
Over the past three games, they have collected only two points, including 1-1 home draws against Burnley and Brentford, with a 2-0 loss at Manchester City sandwiched between them.
Steve Cooper’s squad faced potential defeat last weekend when Moussa Niakhate received a red card in the second half, just moments before Christian Norgaard scored from a free-kick to put Brentford ahead.
However, deadline-day signing Nicolas Dominguez headed in an equalizer in the 65th minute, securing a share of the spoils for the hosts.
Despite the point earned, Nottingham Forest has slipped to 12th place in the Premier League table.
They are four points clear of the relegation zone but have an opportunity to return to the top half and draw level on points with Crystal Palace if they secure a victory.
Forest’s away record has been lackluster, with only five points earned out of a possible 42 on the road since January.
However, it’s worth noting that all five of these points have been secured in London, including a draw against Palace five months ago.
Nottingham Forest boasts an unbeaten record at Selhurst Park in their last six visits, having scored in all six of those encounters against Crystal Palace.
Crystal Palace Premier League Form:
- L
- D
- W
- L
- D
- W
Crystal Palace Form (All Competitions):
- W
- W
- L
- D
- L
- W
Nottingham Forest Premier League Form:
- W
- L
- W
- D
- L
- D
Nottingham Forest Form (All Competitions):
- L
- L
- W
- D
- L
- D
Team News
Crystal Palace received disappointing news earlier this week, as star midfielder Eberechi Eze is expected to be sidelined for up to six weeks due to a hamstring injury.
Additionally, Michael Olise and Jefferson Lerma are nursing hamstring problems, while Dean Henderson (groin), Matheus Franca (back), James Tomkins (calf), and Naouirou Ahamada (ankle) remain unavailable.
The midfield department for the Eagles is now thin, with Eze, Lerma, and Ahamada out.
This could lead to Jairo Riedewald earning a start or Jeffery Schlupp transitioning from the left flank to the midfield trio alongside Cheick Doucoure and Will Hughes.
Academy graduate Jesurun Rak-Sakyi might be handed his first Premier League start in the front three alongside Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jordan Ayew if Schlupp moves into midfield.
There’s also the possibility of Odsonne Edouard returning to the lineup following his hamstring injury.
Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, has its share of injury concerns. Danilo (hamstring) and Wayne Hennessey (knee) are still sidelined, while Niakhite will serve a one-match suspension after his red card last weekend.
Nuno Tavares could step in at left-back if he overcomes a groin issue.
Dominguez, who picked up a knock against Brentford, and Ryan Yates and Ola Aina, who missed the last game due to hamstring and muscle injuries, will all be assessed before kickoff.
Joe Worrall and Morgan Gibbs-White, who started on the bench last time, will be eager to secure a place in the starting lineup.
Worrall could potentially replace either Willy Boly or Murillo in the center-back position, while Gibbs-White might compete with Anthony Elanga for an attacking role.
Possible Starting Lineups:
Crystal Palace:
Johnstone;
Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell;
Riedewald, Doucoure, Hughes;
Ayew, Mateta, Schlupp
Nottingham Forest:
Turner;
Aurier, Boly, Murillo, Tavares;
Sangare, Mangala, Dominguez;
Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi;
Awoniyi
Prediction:
Eberechi Eze’s absence is a significant setback for Crystal Palace, requiring someone else to provide the creative spark.
Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, will look to capitalize on their ability to find the net, having scored in six of their first seven league games.
Both teams see this match as winnable, and it’s likely to end in a hard-fought draw at Selhurst Park.
- Our prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest