Premier League GW8 - Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest | Picture Credits: Getty Images

Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park. Both teams came into this game with different goals in mind, and the outcome was a valiant tie.

Palace's Recent Success:

On their excellent run, Crystal Palace had recently defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford. They shown their potential away from home by earning seven of their season's 11 points on the road. They did, however, have to overcome a six-match losing record against Nottingham Forest in the Premier League.

Forest's Mixed Form:

Prior to the international break, Nottingham Forest sought to snap a three-game losing trend after earning two points from home draws against Burnley and Brentford in between a defeat to Manchester City. Forest, on the other hand, have recently struggled away from home, collecting just five points from their last 42 opportunities.

Starting Lineups:

Let's take a look at the starting lineups:

Crystal Palace (4-3-3):

• Starting XI: Sam Johnstone; Nathaniel Clyne, Joachim Andersen, Marc Guehi, Tyrick Mitchell; Will Hughes, Jairo Riedewald, Jeffrey Schlupp; Jordan Ayew, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Odsonne Edouard.
  

• Crystal Palace Subs: Remi Matthews, Jadan Raymond, James Tomkins, Ademola Ola-Adebomi, Rob Holding, Chris Richards, Malcolm Ebiowei, David Ozoh, Jesuran Rak-Sakyi.
  

Nottingham Forest (4-3-2-1):

• Starting XI: Matt Turner; Serge Aurier, Willy Boly, Murillo, Harry Toffolo; Ibrahim Sangare, Orel Mangala, Nicolas Dominguez; Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi; Chris Wood.
  

• Subs: Odisseas Vlachodimos, Divock Origi, Ryan Yates, Joe Worrall, Neco Williams, Gonzalo Montiel, Cheikhou Kouyate, Anthony Elanga, Andrey Santos.
  

First Half:

Both teams made an effort to break the tie in the first half.

Notable Moments in the First Half:

• Toffolo's long-range attempt was stopped by a vital save from Johnstone in the fifteenth minute.
  

• A superb ball from Murillo resulted in a near call in the 21st minute when Gibbs-White's shot touched the left-hand post.
  

• Just before halftime, Johnstone made yet another crucial stop, stopping this shot from Murillo.
  

Half-Time Reflection:

No goal was scored by either team as the first half came to a close. Forest had several opportunities to score, but Crystal Palace's performance was lacklustre and they had not taken a single shot that was on goal.

Historical Struggles for Palace:

Having never defeated Nottingham Forest in the Premier League, Crystal Palace have struggled in prior encounters with them. In December 2011, when both teams were in the Championship, they last defeated Forest.

Second Half Kick-off:

As the second half got underway at Selhurst Park, Nottingham Forest was ready to make a statement.

Key Moments in the Second Half:

• Guehi blocked Montiel's shot in the 61st minute, depriving Forest a clean chance.
  

• In the 63rd minute, Palace had an opportunity, but Mateta's shot just missed the goal.
  

• In the 74th minute, Riedewald was pulled off the pitch due to an injury.
  

• In the 78th minute, Andersen produced a critical block that stopped Montiel's audacious try.
  

• In the 89th minute, Johnstone made a quick save to stop Dominguez from giving Forest a late victory.

  
  

Final Whistle:

After a fierce struggle, the game concluded in a 0-0 draw. Despite having their moments, neither team was able to break the tie.

The result ensured that Crystal Palace's drought for a Premier League victory over Nottingham Forest remained as a result of the scoreless draw. The Eagles entered the international break with a strong defensive record, having gone 309 minutes in the Premier League without conceding a goal. In the standings, they were three points in front of Nottingham Forest.

After the international break, Crystal Palace would play Newcastle United, while Nottingham Forest would host Luton Town. The result of this game at Selhurst Park exemplified the tenacity and fierce competition of Premier League football.