Crystal Palace Remain Winless this Season after loss to Nottingham Forest in Match-Week Eight

Nottingham Forest hosted Crystal Palace in the eighth round of league matches in the Premier League that took place this past weekend.

October 21, 2024

By: Davis Rothman

Nottingham Forest hosted Crystal Palace in the eighth round of league matches in the Premier League that took place this past weekend.

Nottingham Forest assistant Rui Pedro Silva (left) stepping up in action to take charge from the touchline followi Nuno Espirito Santo's dismissal away from home against Brighton (GettyImages)

Going into the match, Nottingham Forest assistant coach Rui Pedro Silva would be the one on the touchline for the home side, filling in for the suspended head coach Nuno Espirito Santo. In addition, two changes would be made to the team that started in the 1-1 draw against Chelsea, their last match before this past international break.

Matz Sels would remain in between the posts for Nottingham Forest, as their established first-choice goalkeeper.. The same back four of Ola Aina, Nikola Milenković, Murillo, and Alex Moreno would start in defense. The midfield would be the area that would see changes, as Nicolás Domínguez would take a starting position in the midfield pivot, in place for the suspend James-Ward Prowse, alongside Ryan Yates. The attack would be the other position to see changes as well, as the both injured and suspended-captain of the club, Morgan Gibbs-White would be unavailable for to make the gameday squad. In his place, Eliot Anderson would move to play in the advanced midfield role, flanked by wingers Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga, who would also make his return to the starting team after having been dropped to the bench against Chelsea. In-form forward Chris Wood would lead the line in the attack as the lone striker up front. 

Morato, Neco Williams, Taiwo Awonyi, Jota Silva, and Ramón Sosa would all make substitute appearances off the bench for Nottingham Forest this match.

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner pointing out to his players from the touchline against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground (GettyImages)

As for the visitors Crystal Palace and manager Oliver Glasner, they would two changes to the team that started from their last match out in their 1-0 loss against Liverpool at Selhurst Park before the international break. 

Dean Henderson in goal, the center-back trio of Trevoh Chalobah, captain Marc Guehi, and Maxence Lacroix would remain the same. The wing-backs would also remain the same, in the forms of Tyrick Mitchell and Daniel Muñoz, flanking the wide central defenders. The midfield would be the first area of change, as Adam Wharton would be dropped to the bench and replaced by Will Hughes, who would start in a midfield pivot alongside Jefferson Lerma. And the other change would be made in the attack, as Japanese international and summer signing Daichi Kamada would start in place of another summer signing, Ismalia Sarr. Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah would keep their starting places in the other two attacking positions for this match.

Sarr would still appear in this match off the bench, along with Jean-Philippe Mateta, Jeffrey Schlupp, and homegrown academy-product Asher Agbinone. All making substitute appearances off the bench for the Eagles.

Throughout the first half, both of these sides would rely on playing on the counter attack. Utilizing the pace of their forward players to try and catch the opposition’s defense off guard in transition after having turned the ball over. However, it would be Nottingham Forest that would be the side to ultimately grow more into the game after the start of the second half, and Palace playing more and more on the back foot. 

And the goal would come in the 65th minute of play, off a ball sent in the air forward by Alex Moreno down the left channel, initially headed back the other way by Trevoh Chalobah. The loose ball would be hit, first time, by none other than Chris Wood. Squeezing underneath the right hand of Dean Henderson and into the bottom corner, giving  the home side the lead. Making it five goals so far this season from his eight starts for Forest this season, his goal would remain unanswered and would give them the win in this final clash of match-week eight.

Nottingham Forest forward Chris Wood wheeling away in celebration after breaking the deadlock with his goal to put his side in front (GettyImages)

This result and the three points collected by Nottingham Forest would see them go to eighth place in the league table, leapfrogging Newcastle and Fulham, who both lost their games against Brighton and Aston Villa respectively. Still winless this season, the result would drop Crystal Palace below Ipswich Town, down to 18th place, and into the bottom three places in the league table. Where the teams who finish there at the end of the season will face relegation from the Premier League into the division below.