Forest have endured a strong start to the campaign, beating Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield and drawing with Chelsea 2-2 at Stamford Bridge. However, they have not secured a victory in any of their three home matches so far.
To make matters worse, their star player Morgan Gibbs-White is likely to miss the clash, and James Ward-Prowse is suspended. Chris Wood returns from New Zealand, while Taiwo Awoniyi was part of the Nigerian squad that was stranded in Libya’s airport for over 16 hours.
These setbacks could tilt the balance in favour of Crystal Palace.
Forest’s Loss Could Mean Palace’s Gain
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at the time of publishing and subject to change.
Chris Wood has been incredible for Forest in the last 12 months, and having scored three goals already this season, he is very much Nuno Santo’s preferred striker.
It will be interesting to see how the 32-year-old handles the effects of jetlag, having returned from New Zealand after matches against Tahiti and Malaysia.
Forest’s other striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, has been slowly returning to the field after his long-term injury. He was unfortunately part of the Nigerian squad that was stuck in Libya’s airport for 16 hours.That's hardly the kind of layover you'd want before a Premier League showdown!
Morgan Gibbs-White, seen in a boot and on crutches after his exit against Chelsea, presents a concerning scenario for Forest. They’ll struggle without the England international.
James Ward-Prowse is also suspended, and Forest will have to rotate - potentially disrupting their rhythm. Crystal Palace have only managed an away win against QPR this season, and they see the upcoming match as a chance to secure another Premier League victory on the road.
As Nottingham Forest grapples with key player absences and recent home struggles, the stage is set for Crystal Palace to capitalise on these vulnerabilities. With Forest's fortress showing signs of weakness, Palace sees an opportunity to turn their own fortunes around.
Stats suggest Forest will struggle
Since returning to the Premier League, the City Ground has been a stronghold for Nottingham Forest. However, this season tells a different story.
They’ve experienced disappointing draws after leading against Wolves and Bournemouth, and suffered a 1-0 defeat to Fulham. These results indicate something isn’t quite right at home.
In Forest’s only loss of the season against Fulham, Gibbs-White was suspended and didn’t feature. Additionally, Forest lost four matches last season when he didn’t feature for various reasons. Without him in the side, they often struggle to dominate games.
Against bottom half sides, who tend to sit back and soak up pressure, Forest struggle to break down tightly knitted teams. They've found success on the road by leveraging Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi's speed in counter-attacks.
While Crystal Palace enters this match with unconvincing form, they could benefit by mirroring the strategies Wolves and Fulham used at the City Ground. By harnessing the pace of Ismaila Sarr and Eberechi Eze to push forward, they might achieve a favourable outcome.
Let’s not forget, the Eagles managed a draw at Stamford Bridge and, despite losses to Everton and Brentford, they outshot both sides and had opportunities to win. If they can find their rhythm in front of goal, Forest might face another frustrating game by Trent.
Nottingham Forest's home advantage is slipping without Gibbs-White, while Crystal Palace, despite their form, have the tools to exploit this. If Palace can find their scoring touch, they might just snatch a win. This clash promises to be an intriguing battle of tactics and resilience.