Nottingham Forest vs Crystal Palace: Predictions, Team News, Betting Tips & Odds
The upcoming Premier League clash between Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace is highly anticipated. Scheduled for February 1 at 2 PM, this match will be held at the City Ground in Nottinghamshire, England, and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports+. This encounter could prove critical for both teams, especially in the context of relegation battles.
Match Preview: Nottingham Forest vs Crystal Palace
Nottingham Forest enters this match with a three-game unbeaten streak, putting them in a promising position in the fight for Premier League survival. They are just two points shy of Crystal Palace, who are struggling drastically, having collected only two points from their last eight matches. A win for Forest would elevate them to 28 points, leveling with the Eagles.
Current Form
- Nottingham Forest: 7 points from the last three games, including draws against Arsenal and wins over West Ham and Brentford.
- Crystal Palace: 11-game winless run, with no victories in their last eight Premier League outings.
The situation is exacerbated for Palace as they adjust to significant roster changes. Their star defender Marc Guehi has departed for Manchester City, and French forward Jean-Philippe Mateta is sidelined while exploring exit options from the club. Manager Oliver Glasner is also expected to step down at the season’s conclusion, adding to the team’s instability.
Defensive Strategies
Nottingham Forest has displayed strong defensive resilience, keeping three clean sheets in their last four matches. Conversely, Crystal Palace has struggled offensively, scoring only three goals in their past six league games. Given these trends, another low-scoring match with fewer than 2.5 goals seems likely, as evidenced by their previous encounters.
Betting Insights
- Best Bet: Nottingham Forest to win (Evs Coral, Ladbrokes)
- Over 4.5 cards: High likelihood based on previous match statistics (5-6 with bet365)
With the stakes high for both teams, a fiercely contested match is expected. Last three Premier League meetings recorded 5, 11, and 6 yellow cards, suggesting a busy afternoon for referee Michael Salisbury, who averages 4.56 yellow cards per game this season.
Team News and Predicted Line-Ups
Nottingham Forest
- Unavailable players: John Victor, Nicolas Savona, Chris Wood.
- Expected Formation: 4-2-3-1
- Predicted Line-up: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Anderson, Sangare; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Dominguez; Igor Jesus.
Crystal Palace
- Unavailable players: Adam Wharton (suspended), Cheick Doucoure, Daichi Kamada, Eddie Nketiah, Caleb Kporha, Rio Cardines.
- Expected Formation: 3-4-2-1
- Predicted Line-up: Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Canvot; Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell; Johnson, Pino; Sarr.
Conclusion
The match between Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace on February 1 is set to be a pivotal moment for both teams in the Premier League. With Crystal Palace struggling and Nottingham Forest finding stability, this game could define their respective seasons. Fans can catch all the action live on Sky Sports+.
