Crystal Palace welcome Nottingham Forest to Selhurst Park in a Premier League encounter that promises excitement, with the Eagles aiming to build momentum ahead of their looming FA Cup final, while Forest are in urgent need of three points to boost their fading hopes of securing Champions League football next season.
Nolan James May 4
In their previous encounter, Nottingham Forest narrowly defeated Crystal Palace 1-0 at the City Ground, with Chris Wood scoring the only goal of the match in the 65th minute. It was a close contest, with both sides registering 20 shots and sharing near-equal possession (Palace 49%, Forest 51%).
Looking ahead, Oliver Glasner’s men are determined to secure an eighth-place finish and European football next season. They sit five points behind Fulham, but with just four matches remaining, their chances hinge on a perfect run to close out the season.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace is focused on their upcoming FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 17th, aiming to secure their first-ever major trophy. They have impressed in the competition, advancing past teams like Stockport, Doncaster Rovers, Millwall, and Aston Villa, including a stunning 3-0 win over Villa in the semi-finals.
Nottingham Forest, having been eliminated from the FA Cup by Manchester City, are now fully concentrated on securing a top-four finish in the Premier League. They are currently in sixth place with 60 points, level on points with fifth-place Chelsea but behind on goal difference.
The Eagles have been solid in recent weeks, securing a 2-2 draw at Arsenal and a commanding 3-0 victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup. However, they have had some tough results, suffering heavy defeats to Newcastle (5-0) and Manchester City (5-2).
Forest has struggled of late, winning only one of their last five league matches — a 2-1 victory away at Tottenham Hotspur. The rest of their recent fixtures have been disappointing, with losses to Aston Villa, Everton, Manchester City, and Brentford.
Crystal Palace Win: With Forest’s lack of consistency, particularly in recent losses and failure to score in three of their last four matches, Palace are the favorites to secure all three points here.
Under 2.5 Goals: Given Forest’s recent scoring struggles and Palace’s strong defensive display in recent FA Cup outings, this match is likely to see fewer goals.
Both Teams to Score - No: Considering Forest’s lack of firepower and Palace’s solid form, it’s more probable that Palace will edge out Forest without both teams finding the net.
Prediction: A 1-0 or 2-0 victory for Crystal Palace seems likely, with the Eagles capitalizing on Forest's poor form to inch closer to securing a solid finish to their season ahead of their FA Cup final.
