Key events
Interesting to see Nketiah start ahead of Matetawho was on fire for Palace at the end of last season and one of the players in France's Olympic tournament in the summer, but already seems fatigued… and it's October. Nketiah has often (and perhaps a little surprisingly) been deployed as a striker, but tonight he will get his chance in the centre.
Forest have a physically strong duo in Milenkovic and Murillo, who were expecting a battle with Mateta. Nketiah will hope to drop deep, take Milenkovic and Murillo out of position and then find some space in the box to instinctively finish.
The teams!
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Alex Moreno, Yates, Domínguez, Elanga, Anderson, Hudson-Odoi, Wood.
Substitutes: Boly, Sosa, Jota Silva, Toffolo, Omobamidele, Awoniyi, Williams, Morato, Carlos Miguel.
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Lacroix, Guehi, Chalobah, Muñoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell, Kamada, Eze, Nketiah.
Substitutes: Matthews, Ward, Sarr, Mateta, Schlupp, Clyne, Wharton, Kporha, Agbinone.
Preamble
We are seven games into the season and still no one knows who these teams are or where they will finish. Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace could possibly finish in the top half in May 2025, or they could easily be relegated and most people would just shrug and think “yeah, makes sense”.
Palace finished last season like a train under Oliver Glasner, with Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton all starring for the Austrian manager. But this time, Olise is gone, Eze is woefully out of form and Wharton, battling a groin injury he suffered over the summer at the Euros, is yet to find the form or fitness that saw him included in the Eurocup. the latest list of 'Golden Boy'. New signings Maxence Lacroix and Eddie Nketiah are talented, but have so far failed to fill the voids left by Joachim Andersen and (gasp) Jordan Ayew. But the truth is that Glasner, along with the rest of us, are still trying to figure out what's wrong.
The forests are another enigma. Very mediocre form at home and excellent away form (four games including a win at Anfield and Southampton and draws at Chelsea and Brighton) means Nuno Espírito Santo's side could move up to eighth position with a win tonight.
Any victory will be without their talisman, Morgan Gibbs-White (who is suspended for his red card against Brighton), manager Nuno (who is serving the first of a three-match ban for his reaction to that red card) and a stadium suspension. . for owner Evangelos Marinakis (who was found guilty of inappropriate conduct following Forest's defeat to Fulham in September).
That said, the City Ground under the lights is always fun, especially with Big Chris Wood at the helm. Vibrations are high in the East Midlands. Join me for kick off at 8pm BST. I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen.
