Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
Premier League
Saturday
7th October 2023
Selhurst Park
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of the gameweek eight Premier League fixture between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest.
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest: Preview
Crystal Palace form analysis
Palace began with a 1-1 away draw at Brentford, with Andersen cancelling out Schade’s opener. They followed that up with an entertaining 3-2 home win over Wolves, with goals from Eze, Edouard and a late Cunha strike sealing victory. However, Palace suffered a dramatic late 1-3 loss away at Aston Villa, going ahead through Edouard before conceding three injury time goals. They did bounce back to grind out a 0-0 home draw with Fulham. Most recently, Palace earned an excellent 1-0 away win at Manchester United thanks to Andersen’s first half goal.
Overall, Palace have been competitive, showcasing both attacking flair and defensive frailties. Eze and Zaha have impressed going forward, while Edouard has been a real goal threat. But they’ve been prone to lapses at the back, highlighted in the late collapse at Villa. If they can retain danger in attack while improving concentration defensively, a top half finish is very much on the cards this term. But cutting out individual errors is key after an up and down start.
Nottingham Forest form analysis
Forest shone brightly by twice leading away at Man United before collapsing late on to lose 2-3. They did earn an impressive 1-0 win at Chelsea in their next match though, with Elanga scoring the winner. However, Forest then struggled in a 1-1 home draw against Burnley, falling behind before Hudson-Odoi equalized. Defensive issues surfaced again in a 0-2 home loss to Man City, comfortably beaten by the champions. Most recently though, Forest returned to form by grinding out a 1-1 home draw with Brentford thanks to Dominguez’s equalizer.
Overall, Forest have suffered heavy defeats but also claimed some creditable results like the win at Chelsea. New signings like Awoniyi have added quality, but gelling so many new players has been a challenge. If manager Steve Cooper can build understanding and make Forest harder to beat, they have a chance of surviving for another season. But cutting out individual errors and improving concentration is crucial after an up and down start.
