EPL

Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest play out goalless draw at Selhurst Park

By Sports Desk October 07, 2023

Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest settled for a point apiece after playing out a goalless draw at Selhurst Park.

Morgan Gibbs-White came closest for Forest when he clipped the inside of the far post in the first half, while Jean-Philippe Mateta narrowly missed breaking the deadlock in the second period.

Roy Hodgson’s 400th Premier League game in charge was marred by two more injuries to his severely-depleted side, with Jeffrey Schlupp and Jairo Riedewald forced off on either side of the interval.

Substitute Jesurun Rak-Sakyi was impressive in his fourth appearance for the Eagles and provided a bit of much-needed hope for the hosts – for whom the international break can not come soon enough.

The hosts should have been riding a high after walking away with all three points at Old Trafford last Saturday, but the past seven days instead saw Eberechi Eze, Joel Ward and Cheick Doucoure add to a long list of Eagles injuries, which Hodgson acknowledged had reached a “crisis” point.

Forest quickly worked their way into Palace’s final third but the hosts responded in kind. Edouard launched an effort wide before an alert Will Hughes intercepted Gibbs-White’s weak pass, leading to Palace’s first corner.

Forest earned a corner of their own resulting in the first real chance of the encounter when Harry Toffolo called Sam Johnstone into action, the goalkeeper diving to push away the potential opener.

The visitors should have taken the lead after 20 minutes when Gibbs-White’s side-foot volley from Murillo’s long ball into the box beat Johnstone, but clipped the inside of the keeper’s post but did not cross the line.

Palace barely had time to breathe a sigh of relief. Moments later, Schlupp went down in midfield and was replaced by 21-year-old Rak-Sakyi.

Jordan Ayew then found himself in space near the penalty spot, cringing as he volleyed Joachim Andersen’s delivery well over the crossbar before Palace did little to take advantage of a free-kick, followed by a timely intervention from Riedewald to nullify the threat on the counter.

Rak-Sakyi, who had previously played just nine Premier League minutes for Palace this season, looked eager to prove he deserved more with spirited first half that saw him deliver two good crosses into the area and had a chance to break the deadlock with a volley from inside the six-yard box.

Matt Turner made the save, while Johnstone twice denied Murillo in three minutes of added time to ensure it remained goalless at the break.

Neither side was able to take advantage of early set-pieces to start the second period, which saw little in the way of chances as the game ticked past the hour mark when substitute Gonzalo Montiel saw a shot blocked by Marc Guehi.

Palace came agonisingly close when Tyrick Mitchell found Edouard, who picked out Mateta on the right edge of the area, his effort inching so close the home support had prematurely started to celebrate, but the ball rolled just wide.

It nevertheless sparked something in Hodgson’s side, who continued to pile on the pressure, first through another Rak-Sakyi effort following a fine run from Guehi, then a missed chance for Ayew when he nodded over the crossbar.

Just as momentum had begun to build in their favour, Palace were forced into another substitution. This time it was Riedewald after he was attended to by staff and Chris Richards sent in to replace him.

The deadlock remained a reality, just barely, after Joachim Anderson stuck out a leg to deny Montiel from close range, Johnstone extending to save Nicolas Dominguez’s effort and ensure the points were shared.

Related items

  • Michel hails 'incredible' season but admits Girona face battle to replicate success Michel hails 'incredible' season but admits Girona face battle to replicate success

    Michel saluted an "incredible" season for Girona, but admitted it will be hard for his side to emulate their exploits next term.

    The Blanquivermells have enjoyed a campaign to remember in LaLiga, topping the table on several occasions before eventually finishing third and securing Champions League qualification for the first time.

    Michel's side capped the season with the biggest win in the club's history, as Artem Dovbyk scored a hat-trick in a 7-0 rout of already relegated Granada at Estadio Municipal de Montilivi.

    Their final total of 81 points makes them one of only four teams to reach that tally in LaLiga's current format, along with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid.

    But Michel already has his sights set on next season, during which he knows Girona will have to work hard to repeat their success - especially with several players expected to leave the club.

    "I'm feeling a bit down because good things are over," he told reporters. "We achieved something very important. The day-to-day of the season has been incredible.

    "The counter resets to zero. We will start to fight for a great season to come, and that's what we will do from tomorrow onwards.

    "The dynamics of football tell you that there won't be the same players or the same season. The problem is that many people will be missed.

    "We are growing, and we have to continue taking steps forward. We have to lay the first stone, rest, recover, celebrate this great success and, from next week, start planning to put Girona as high as possible."

  • Simeone concedes 'it is not easy' for Atletico to compete with Madrid Simeone concedes 'it is not easy' for Atletico to compete with Madrid

    Diego Simeone believes Atletico Madrid have fallen short of their objectives this season, but conceded it is difficult to compete with the "best team in the world" in Real Madrid.

    Although they are set for a fourth-place finish in LaLiga, Los Rojiblancos are 21 points adrift of Carlo Ancelotti's newly crowned champions. 

    Atleti fell to Borussia Dortmund following a 5-4 aggregate defeat in the Champions League quarter-finals, while they were soundly beaten by Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

    And as a third successive trophyless season comes to pass at the Metropolitano Stadium, Simeone admits his side could have done better.

    "We have the responsibility to get into the Champions League every year. You can be left out, but you can also be champions," he told reporters ahead of Atletico's final LaLiga game of the campaign against Real Sociedad.

    "But with Real Madrid, who are the best team in the world and will continue to be because they have rejuvenated the squad, it is not easy.

    "We have to keep working at 120 per cent because 100 per cent is not enough, and 80 per cent is even less to be able to get closer to them, keeping in mind that those below us are also improving.

    "We were close to the Copa del Rey final and were expecting to reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. We created the illusion of being in a possible final, and we weren't able to do it, so now we have to think about what comes next to improve things.

    "I have had players who have allowed me to compete as we have done since I arrived, and a coaching staff where everyone who has walked this path has given maximum effort. There is always room for improvement and growth."

  • Under-pressure Ten Hag claims Ratcliffe wants him to stay at Man Utd Under-pressure Ten Hag claims Ratcliffe wants him to stay at Man Utd

    Erik ten Hag has claimed Manchester United's new part-owner Jim Ratcliffe has told him he wants the Dutchman to stay at Old Trafford.

    Reports on Friday suggested Ratcliffe, who now runs the footballing operations at United following INEOS' 27.7 per cent purchase of the club, had decided to sack Ten Hag regardless of the result of Saturday's FA Cup final, with the Red Devils taking on Manchester City.

    United finished eighth, their worst-ever Premier League finish, this season, with Ten Hag under increasing scrutiny.

    However, while hitting out at his critics in an interview with Dutch publication Voetbal International, Ten Hag claimed to have the backing of INEOS.

    "INEOS told me that they want to change everything and that they want to rebuild with me," he said.

    "This is what they told me directly."

    Former Ajax boss Ten Hag also defended his tenure at United so far.

    "United won the league for the last time in 2013, 11 years ago. But still they expect us to win every game while competing at the top. This club is not ready for that," he said.

    "We were supposed to start building something and we made the first steps last year, but then you find out how big this club is and that nobody is ever satisfied.

    "Within the club people were satisfied, but outside the club there was noise, [people] saying I won only the EFL Cup, lost the FA Cup final and finished third.

    "Well, then you have no sense of reality. Other clubs had a much better squad."

    Ten Hag also suggested that some pundits in England see United as "easy pray".

    He added: "It's the biggest club in England and possibly in the world. The club is either loved or hated, there is no in-between.

    "So when things go bad, they all start talking and talking with very big words. All this negativity from these so-called experts who don't have the capability to analyse something with facts, but who prefer to attack people to make themselves look better.

    "And these same people were the ones who gave me a pat on the back last year. Last year I was able to walk on water, this year I am the worst manager in the Premier League?"

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.