Oliver Glasner is preparing for an emotional return to Crystal Palace when Nottingham Forest visit Selhurst Park in the Premier League on Sunday, with kick-off scheduled for 14:00 BST.
The Forest manager confirmed that defender Nikola Milenkovic will miss the match because of a bone bruise. Igor Jesus is also unavailable after suffering a calf muscle injury, which is expected to keep him out for a number of weeks. Neco Williams trained after returning from international duty but subsequently developed a fever, leaving his involvement uncertain.
Glasner spent more than two years with Palace and described the period as one of the most successful and enjoyable chapters of his life. He spoke warmly about the club’s supporters and staff, and said he expects to exchange embraces with Palace colleagues before and after the fixture.
The meeting will be Glasner’s first opportunity to face his former club since taking charge at Forest. He explained that his move was not a choice between Palace and Forest, saying he decided not to renew his Palace contract for several reasons before later concluding that Forest was the right environment for him to work according to his strengths.
He expects a closely fought contest at Selhurst Park. While both sides may understand where the other can be exposed, Glasner stressed that the decisive challenge will be turning that knowledge into an effective performance on the pitch. He also admitted that Forest’s points total and league position have not met his expectations, calling on the team to respond rather than dwell on the situation.
