Opposition briefing: Everything you need to know about Nottingham Forest

Match previews

20 Aug 2024

Crystal Palace are travelling to the City Ground to take on Nottingham Forest on Monday, 21st October (20:00 BST) – before kick-off, it’s time to get the lowdown on our latest opponents…

Factfile

Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo
Current Position: 10th
Ground: City Ground
Founded: 1865 (159 years ago)

What’s the story?

The Premier League table, albeit at this early stage, makes for pleasant reading for Nottingham Forest fans, with Nuno Espirito Santo's side sitting in the top-half and already opening up a seven-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone.

A phenomenal victory away at Anfield has been the highlight of the campaign so far, with Callum Hudson-Odoi curling home to defy all expectations and claim a second victory of the season, after another away win at Southampton.

Combined with their draw away at Stamford Bridge and it's clear that Nuno's side are confident on the road, but at home their form has been less consistent.

Three Premier League matches at the City Ground have provided just two points, drawing with Bournemouth and Wolves while losing to Fulham; they crashed out of the League Cup on penalties to Newcastle, also at the City Ground.

If they are to build on last season and survive more comfortably, Nuno will be desperate to begin accruing the points in front of his own home fans.

The boss

After a spell in Saudi Arabia followed bruising exits from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, Nuno is back in the Premier League with Nottingham Forest.

He had a tall task taking over from Steve Cooper, who was a firm favourite amongst the fans, but kept them in the Premier League last season and has plenty of talent at his disposal to do the same again this time around.

Boot in both camps

Glenn Murray spent his final four months as a professional at the City Ground, scoring twice in 16 Championship games in 2021, before announcing his retirement.

Cheikhou Kouyate moved to Forest after leaving Palace in 2022, having made 141 appearances for the Eagles.

Record against Palace

Palace are looking for their first victory against Nottingham Forest since 2011, when Murray scored the winner at the City Ground.

The two sides shared the points in both meetings last season, playing out a goalless draw at Selhurst Park before Chris Wood cancelled out Jean-Philippe Mateta's opener at the City Ground.

If Palace can come away with three points, it will be their first victory against Nottingham Forest in the top-flight since February 1991, as Steve Coppell's side closed in on third place.

Extended Highlights: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Crystal Palace | Palace TV+

Did you know?

Originally shinty players – a team game played with sticks in the Scottish Highlands much like hockey or hurling – Forest’s founders met at the Clinton Arms in 1865 for the small matter of post-match pints and setting up one England’s biggest clubs. They offered assistance to Liverpool, Arsenal, Brighton and Everton among others. Somehow, though, they were rejected in their bid to join the inaugural Football League in 1888 and later entered in 1892.

The founders identified with Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Italian revolutionary hero who led the redshirts and played a crucial role in the unification of Italy, and so ordered kits in ‘Garibaldi Red’. Forest later donated a set of kits to Woolwich Arsenal in 1886, influencing their decision to wear red.

Sam Weller Widdowson was a highly successful sportsman during the Victorian era playing cricket for Nottinghamshire and – when the schedule allowed – football for Nottingham Forest. So highly was he rated that he played once for England against Scotland in 1880.

Before kick-off in 1874, Widdowson cut down a pair of cricket pads and strapped them to his socks. His opponents – hell, even his teammates – found the concept a ridiculous one and reacted with laughter, but it soon caught on and to this day shin pads are a requirement in the Laws of the Game.

Widdowson continued to be at the forefront of football development: he refereed the first game to use nets and became Forest’s chairman from 1879 to 1884.

Match details

Monday, 21st October
20:00 BST
City Ground
Sky Sports
Live audio commentary on Palace TV+

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