Palace 0 Forest 0

SUMMARY:

• Hodgson makes three changes, with Edouard returning to the starting XI.
• Gibbs-White strikes the inside of the post with a wonderful cushioned volley.
• Ayew volleys over after being picked out by Andersen.
• Centre-back Murillo’s mazy dribble creates space, but he fires straight at Johnsone.
• HT: Palace 0-0 Forest
• Mateta flashes an effort narrowly wide after an excellent Palace move.
• Ayew heads wide after being picked out by Mitchell at the near-post.
• Andersen blocks Montiel’s Di Canio-style volley from the edge of the area.
• FT: Palace 0-0 Forest

The visitors created the first chances in a quiet opening period, with Joachim Andersen stepping in superbly to deny Chris Wood a chance to head at goal from eight yards out, before Sam Johnstone got down comfortably to parry Harry Toffolo’s driven effort from distance.

Morgan Gibbs-White came close to scoring one of the goals of the season meeting a 60 yard diagonal pass and cushioning a volley over Johnstone and off the inside of the post.

Palace’s growing injury concerns took another blow as Jeff Schlupp was brought off halfway through the opening period, replaced by Academy product Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.

The Eagles had chances of their own, and Jordan Ayew volleyed skywards from Andersen’s excellent outswinging delivery.

Rak-Sakyi showed plenty of attacking endeavour and creativity, getting the crowd to their feet after leaving Harry Toffolo sprawled on the turf; moments later his goal-bound volley was blocked in the area.

The opener almost came from the unlikeliest of sources just before half-time, as centre-back Murillo danced through several Palace defenders and into the penalty-area, denied by an important Johnstone save.

Palace should have been ahead shortly after half-time, creating their best opportunity of the game. It started with some superb work on the left-hand side by Tyrick Mitchell, cutting inside and finding Odsonne Edouard. The Frenchman checked back and picked out Jean-Philippe Mateta on the edge of the area, who tried to wrap his foot around the ball but fired narrowly wide – the Holmesdale thought it was in.

At the other end, Andersen blocked critically from Gonzalo Montiel’s inventive Paolo Di Canio-style volley from the edge of the box.

Defensively, Palace withstood late Forest pressure to earn a third consecutive Premier League clean sheet, but they could not make the breakthrough at the other end and the points were shared.

Palace: Johnstone (GK), Clyne, Andersen, Guéhi, Mitchell, Hughes, Riedewald (Richards, 75), Schlupp (Rak-Sakyi, 26), Ayew, Mateta, Edouard.

Subs: Matthews (GK), Holding, Tomkins, Ozoh, Ola-Adebomi, Raymond.

Nottingham Forest: Turner (GK), Mangala (Kouyaté, 83), Sangare (Yates, 76), Gibbs-White, Wood (Origi, 76), Hudson-Odoi (Elanga, 66), Toffolo, Dominguez, Aurier (Montiel, HT), Boly, Murillo.

Subs: Vlachodimos (GK), Worrall, Williams, Santos.