Forest out of bottom three after draw against Palace

30 Mar 2024
Chris Wood has scored 10 goals in the Premier League this season

Nottingham Forest fought back to secure a point against Crystal Palace at the City Ground and move out of the Premier League relegation zone.

Nottm Forest vs Crystal Palace - Figure 1
Photo BBC News

The hosts fell behind in their first match since being docked four points for financial rules breaches, with Jean-Philippe Mateta slotting home Eberechi Eze's perfect lay-off.

But Chris Wood equalised just after the hour mark, nodding Morgan Gibbs-White's floated pass over oncoming Palace keeper Dean Henderson for his 10th goal of the season.

Nuno Espirito Santo's Forest had dropped into the bottom three after their points deduction, but this point moved them up to 17th - above Luton on goal difference.

Forest, who are winless since beating West Ham on 17 February, nearly fell to a fourth defeat in five leagues games late on but Daniel Munoz's 90th-minute header hit the post.

England winger Eze proved the danger man for Oliver Glasner's Palace throughout, forcing Forest keeper Matz Sels into two outstanding saves when one-on-one either side of half-time.

But the visitors failed to make the most of their chances and could not secure a fourth away win of the season, as Forest remained unbeaten against Palace in the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest fans display a banner at the Trent End before kick-offDisplay of defiance from Forest

Forest came out fighting on the field after the deduction which dropped them into the relegation zone - and the home fans followed suit.

A banner in the Trent End before kick-off displayed the words "we shall fight and we shall overcome".

Forest have already announced they will appeal against their punishment, but it is on the pitch where they need to start winning points if they want to distance themselves from the bottom three.

Battling back to draw on Saturday is a start and allowed them to gain ground on two relegation rivals, as Luton succumbed to a late loss at Tottenham and Everton were beaten by Bournemouth after Seamus Coleman's injury-time own goal.

Eze playing himself into Euros contention?

Palace talisman Eze was named in Gareth Southgate's provisional England squad for the Covid-delayed Euros in 2021, but he ruptured his Achilles tendon the same day he was given the news and was ruled out for 12 months.

Three years on, the midfielder looks to be returning to the kind of form which could see him in contention for the Euros once again.

Nottm Forest vs Crystal Palace - Figure 2
Photo BBC News

An injury-disrupted campaign may have contributed to him missing out on Southgate's latest squad, but Eze's talent was on full display here and it was only some superb keeping from Sels which kept him off the score-sheet.

There are nine games left in Palace's campaign, and if the 25-year-old stays fit and continues to spark the Eagles' attack he will give Southgate plenty to ponder.

Player of the match

A WhartonAdam Wharton

with an average of 7.45

Nottingham Forest

Squad number20Player nameReyna

Squad number15Player nameToffolo

Squad number21Player nameElanga

Squad number7Player nameN Williams

Squad number11Player nameWood

Squad number14Player nameHudson-Odoi

Squad number10Player nameGibbs-White

Squad number26Player nameSels

Squad number40Player nameMurillo

Squad number18Player nameFelipe

Squad number43Player nameAina

Squad number22Player nameYates

Squad number27Player nameOrigi

Squad number6Player nameSangaré

Crystal Palace

Squad number20Player nameA Wharton

Squad number10Player nameEze

Squad number14Player nameMateta

Squad number12Player nameMuñoz

Squad number16Player nameAndersen

Squad number8Player nameLerma

Squad number3Player nameMitchell

Squad number26Player nameRichards

Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew

Squad number30Player nameHenderson

Squad number2Player nameWard

Squad number15Player nameSchlupp

Squad number17Player nameClyne

Squad number19Player nameHughes

Line-ups
Nottm Forest

Formation 4-2-3-1

26Sels7N Williams18FelipeBooked at 49mins40Santiago Costa dos Santos43AinaSubstituted forToffoloat 84'minutes22Yates6SangaréSubstituted forElangaat 45'minutes27OrigiSubstituted forReynaat 60'minutes10Gibbs-White14Hudson-Odoi11WoodSubstitutes1Turner15Toffolo16Domínguez20Reyna21Elanga28Danilo29Montiel32Omobamidele37Duarte Ribeiro
Crystal Palace

Formation 3-4-2-1

30Henderson2Ward16Andersen26Richards12Muñoz20A WhartonSubstituted forHughesat 80'minutes8Lerma3MitchellSubstituted forClyneat 90+4'minutes9J AyewSubstituted forSchluppat 66'minutesBooked at 70mins10Eze14MatetaSubstitutes5Tomkins15Schlupp17Clyne19Hughes29Ahamada31Matthews52Ozoh55Umeh-Chibueze61Mathurin

Referee:Chris Kavanagh

Attendance:29,520

Match Stats
Live Text

Match ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Crystal Palace 1.

Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Crystal Palace 1.

Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).

Substitution, Crystal Palace. Nathaniel Clyne replaces Tyrick Mitchell.

Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Will Hughes.

Attempt missed. Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Jeffrey Schlupp.

Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace).

Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Chris Wood.

Foul by Neco Williams (Nottingham Forest).

Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Harry Toffolo replaces Ola Aina.

Foul by Ola Aina (Nottingham Forest).

Jefferson Lerma (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Callum Hudson-Odoi (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Foul by Daniel Muñoz (Crystal Palace).

Substitution, Crystal Palace. Will Hughes replaces Adam Wharton.

Foul by Anthony Elanga (Nottingham Forest).

Tyrick Mitchell (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

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