Crystal Palace Overcome Nottingham Forest to End 14-Year Home Winless Streak

2026-10-11 community

London, 11 October 2026
Crystal Palace recovered from an early deficit to defeat Nottingham Forest 3-1, securing their first home league victory over their rivals in 14 years and lifting them to 12th.

Early Stunner and Resilient Turnaround

The contest began with immediate drama at Selhurst Park as Dan Ndoye found the back of the net in the third minute to give Nottingham Forest an early lead [2][3][7]. Despite the early setback, Crystal Palace displayed remarkable grit to respond before the break. Daichi Kamada brought the Eagles level in the 41st minute, registering his first Premier League goal [2][5][8]. The momentum swung decisively in stoppage time when Jefferson Lerma scored in the 45+4th minute to hand Palace a 2-1 lead heading into halftime [2][3][7]. Yeremy Pino then extended the advantage in the 59th minute, snapping a 19-appearance Premier League goal drought to complete the 3-1 victory [2][3][7].

Goalkeeping Brilliance and Defensive Resilience

Palace’s second-half resurgence was anchored by defensive resilience and a stellar display from goalkeeper Walter Benítez. Benítez produced critical saves to deny Forest attackers Liam Delap, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Chris Wood [2]. Analyzing the performance, former Palace defender Daniel Gabbidon highlighted the defensive composure, observing that “Crystal Palace did enough to slow the attack up” while noting Benítez had Neco Williams’ scuffed strike fully covered [1]. Conversely, Forest manager Oliver Glasner expressed frustration over his team’s errors, reflecting after the match, “We conceded a slapstick goal and we are 3-1 down” [5].

Glasner’s Return and Evolving Rivalry

The encounter carried significant emotional weight as Oliver Glasner made his first return to Selhurst Park since leaving the club in the summer to take charge of Nottingham Forest [2][6]. During his tenure in South London, Glasner guided Palace to FA Cup glory in 2025, alongside victories in the Community Shield and UEFA Conference League [6]. Reconnecting with his former home ground, Glasner admitted, “I have two hearts beating in my chest because I had some great times there, with some great relationships and some great players and staff” [4]. The match also took place amidst ongoing administrative and off-pitch friction between the two boards, including a defamation lawsuit filed by Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis following a banner display in August 2025 [4]. However, long-standing Palace fan Kevin Day played down the notion of a deep-seated derby, stating, “it’s not a grudge match… it will never be a rivalry to match Brighton or Millwall” [4].

Rising Momentum Under Pierre Sage

The comeback victory moved Crystal Palace to 12th in the Premier League table with 7 points from 6 games, while Nottingham Forest dropped to 14th with 5 points [2]. The result underscores significant attacking progress under manager Pierre Sage, with Palace scoring three or more goals in two of their last four league fixtures—matching their total output from the previous 37 Premier League matches combined [2]. Sky Sports reporter William Bitibiri emphasized this tactical turnaround, noting that “Crystal Palace have shown signs of rediscovering their attacking spark under Pierre Sage, with their 3-1 comeback win over Nottingham Forest the latest example” [2]. With their domestic form taking shape alongside ongoing European commitments, Palace enter the autumn schedule with renewed optimism [2][6].

Bronnen

Premier League Crystal Palace