Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest Match Preview – Premier League 2025/26 | Form, Injuries, Lineups & Prediction | OneFootball

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest Match Preview: Crystal Palace welcome fellow European-contending side Nottingham Forest to Selhurst Park on Sunday as both teams aim to build early momentum in what promises to be a fiercely competitive Premier League campaign. The Eagles arrive on the back of a goalless draw with Chelsea in a game overshadowed by VAR controversy, while Forest head south buoyed by a commanding victory against Brentford that showcased their attacking intent.

For Palace, this fixture offers a chance to put down a marker against a direct rival for the European places. With Eberechi Eze at the centre of ongoing transfer speculation linking him with Tottenham, all eyes will be on how Oliver Glasner’s side handle the spotlight. Forest, meanwhile, are looking to continue their steady rise under Nuno Espírito Santo, with Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi central to their ambitions of building on last season’s remarkable fifth-place finish.

Selhurst Park has a reputation for intensity on matchdays and with both sides targeting a top-seven push, this clash carries more than just three points. It could set the tone for their European credentials this season.

Current Form

The Eagles fought for a hard-earned point in a draw vs Chelsea during their opening fixture of the Premier League season, and some would feel they were cheated out of a victory as rumoured Spurs-bound playmaker Eberechi Eze struck from a free kick on the edge of the box in the 14th minute, which was later ruled out by VAR in what many would see as a harsh decision.

The Reds, on the other hand, enjoyed a statement victory over a Brentford team in transition, outlining their intentions to maintain a league performance that saw them finish in 5th position and record European qualification for the first time since the 95/96 season.

Head-to-Head Record

Recent history between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest has been remarkably tight, with draws dominating their meetings. Four of the last five encounters have ended level, underlining how evenly matched these sides have been since Forest’s return to the Premier League. The most recent clash came in May 2025, when the teams shared a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park.

Looking further back, Palace have found wins hard to come by in this fixture. Their last victory over Forest came back in October 2008 with a 2-0 win at the City Ground. Since then, Forest have often had the upper hand, including emphatic Championship victories such as 3-0 wins in 2010, 2011 and 2012. In the Premier League era, Forest claimed a narrow 1-0 win in October 2024 thanks to a resolute defensive display, while Palace’s best results have largely been hard-fought draws.

Overall, this is a fixture with a history of close, low-scoring battles, and given the styles of both sides, it would not be surprising if fine margins once again decide the outcome.

Injury List & Suspensions

Crystal Palace:

Daichi Kamada – Doubtful(Knee)

Chadi Riad – Out(Cruciate Ligament)

Edward Nketiah – Out(Thigh)

Matheus Franca – Out(Groin)

Cheikh Doucoure – Out(Knee)

Nottingham Forest:

Nicolas Dominguez – Out (Knee)

Manager Quotes

TBA

Predicted Lineups

Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Mitchell, Hughes, Wharton, Munoz; Sarr, Mateta, Eze

Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood

Tactical Preview

Crystal Palace will look to build up from the back reliably against a Forest side that rarely presses and instead prefers to sit in a compact mid-block. Oliver Glasner’s system places great importance on wing-backs, and the relentless running of Daniel Muñoz and Tyrick Mitchell will be used to stretch the Forest back line and pin their full-backs deep. That width should create pockets of space in the half-spaces where the creativity of Adam Wharton and Eberechi Eze can come into play.

The big question for Palace, however, is whether this could be one of Eze’s final games in red and blue. Thomas Frank’s Brentford have agreed a fee with Spurs for the England international, and with Tottenham’s Europa League qualifier against Fredrikstad on Thursday looming, we may know more about whether Eze’s future lies in North London before the weekend is out. His ability to unlock stubborn defences with incisive passing and set-piece quality will be central to Palace’s hopes here, but it is a subplot that could distract both the player and the team.

Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, will seek to exploit the space left behind by Palace’s aggressive wing-backs. Nuno Espírito Santo’s side thrive in transition, and with the pace of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga Ndoye on the flanks, they will look to spring counters the moment possession is turned over. Morgan Gibbs-White will act as the conduit between midfield and attack, aiming to release Chris Wood early and stretch Palace’s back three.

The midfield battle could be decisive. Wharton and Will Hughes will be tasked with controlling the tempo against the physicality of Ibrahim Sangaré and the energy of Elliot Anderson. If Palace can dominate centrally, they may pin Forest back and suffocate their counter-attacks, but if Forest disrupt the rhythm, they have the weapons to punish Palace on the break.

Key Duels

Ndoye vs Mitchell – Ndoye will look to use his pace and technique to trouble the experienced full-back.

Hudson-Odoi vs Munoz – Hudson-Odoi will relentlessly run at Munoz as he’ll aim to break in transition and use the space behind him.

Wharton/Hughes vs Sangare/Anderson – It will be a fiercely contested battle for territory in the midfield.

Mateta vs Murillo/Milenkovic – The strong Frenchman will look to use his physicality against the forest centre backs again.

Predicted Scoreline

Predicted Scoreline Crystal Palace 1 – 1 Nottingham Forest

I expect this match to be fiercely contested and end in a 1-1 draw. Crystal Palace will look to Eberechi Eze for inspiration in what could be one of his final appearances before a potential move to Spurs, and he is the likeliest source of a goal for the Eagles. For Nottingham Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White remains their creative heartbeat and could be the man to find the net, either from open play or by pouncing on a transition.

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