Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest Preview: Team News & Prediction
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These two experienced very different FA Cup semi-final weekends last week as Crystal Palace prepare for the cup final, whilst Nottingham Forest focus on the top five fight in the league.
Kick-off date/time: Monday 5th May, 2025: UK – 8:00pm / US ET – 3:00pm / US PT – 12:00pm
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – USA Network
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Universo
Crystal Palace Preview: Excellent Eagles
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace dispatched of Aston Villa with an impressive performance at Wembley Stadium in their FA Cup semi-final last weekend as the Eagles blasted the Villains away by three goals to nil to set up a final with Manchester City later this month.
Palace had been in shaky form in the league in the build-up to that season-defining clash with Unai Emery’s Villa but they opened the scoring via the excellent Eberechi Eze in 31st minute before a second-half brace scored by Senegal international Ismaila Sarr.
Nottingham Forest Preview: The spring stumble
Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, have been in the middle of a poor run of form of late and that includes a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City at Wembley in their FA Cup semi last week with City scoring early in both halves via Rico Lewis and then Josko Gvardiol.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side begin this weekend’s round of fixtures now sitting outside of the top five and the UEFA Champions League spots, too, having most recently suffered a 2-0 defeat to UEFA Europa Conference League chasing Brentford at the City Ground the other day.
Crystal Palace Team News: Maintaining their form
In his pre-match press conference ahead of the visit of Nottingham Forest to Selhurst Park, Glasner has reported no fresh injury concerns or suspension issues for the Eagles to deal with. They remain without defender Chadi Riad and defensive midfielder Cheick Doucoure, whilst Matt Turner is ineligible to face his parent club.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guehi; Munoz, Wharton, Lerma, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta
Unavailable: Turner (Ineligible), Riad (Injured), Doucoure (Injured)
Questionable:
Nottingham Forest Team News: CHO a doubt
Nuno Espirito Santo was able to bring Nigeria international right-back Ola Aina back into the team against Brentford the other day but youngster Eric da Silva Moreira remains a doubt for the visitors. England international winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is also now a doubt for Forest this weekend, too.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Danilo; Wood
Unavailable:
Questionable: Da Silva Moreira (Fitness), Hudson-Odoi (Injured)
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest Prediction
Crystal Palace started this season slowly after a magnificent end to the last campaign but ever since mid-to-late-October, they have returned to being one of the better sides in the Premier League. They are set up to play on the counter-attack but the same can be said of Nottingham Forest, too, who need to rediscover some form quickly having now lost four of their last five matches across all competitions. With both sides set up to play reactively, a low-scoring affair decided by a set-piece perhaps seems like a likely outcome.
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest Tip: Under 2.5 goals
