Nottingham Forest have had a stellar performance since the start of the 2024/2025 season, thanks to the philosophical management of Nuno Espírito Santo, who boasts experience with 15 clubs on his CV. They have gone unbeaten in seven out of eight matches, only losing to Fulham in a 0-1 defeat at City Ground, Nottingham. ‘The Tricky Trees’ have caused problems for big opponents, most recently with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea and a 1-0 victory over Liverpool.
Yesterday’s 22:00 kickoff at City Ground on Monday was a tricky encounter, especially with Forest playing without their Portuguese head coach, Nuno Espírito Santo, on the touchline. The visitors, Crystal Palace, were searching for their first win of the season, struggling with a winless streak. Oliver Glasner’s boys faced a Herculean task, having not secured a win in their last six head-to-head meetings.
The first half was intense in front of the 29,443 fans, with ball possession at 51% for ‘The Reds’ and 49% for ‘The Eagles’. Matz Sels had a busy night, making several saves against Palace’s aggressive forwards. The Belgian international made a stunning save from a long-range power shot by Eddie Nketiah that brushed the crossbar by inches.
Just before the first-half break, Eberechi Eze fired another shot that rattled the crossbar. Despite Palace’s pressure, the first half ended 0-0.
Under assistant manager Rui Pedro Silva, Nottingham Forest started the second half with intent. A defensive error from Palace resulted in a rebound, giving Chris Wood a golden opportunity in the 65th minute. The New Zealander fired a low shot that slipped between Dean Henderson’s hands and into the net, breaking the deadlock. The score stood at 1-0, with Forest controlling the game and piling pressure on Oliver Glasner’s men.
Palace managed a late goal-scoring opportunity with a good shot from Jean-Philippe Mateta, but Matz Sels denied it. Ball possession evened out at 50-50, but the match ended 1-0 after an additional 8 minutes, securing Forest 3 crucial points. With 13 points from 8 matches, they now sit 8th in the EPL table. Nottingham Forest will travel to King Power Stadium to face Leicester next.
