Crystal Palace’s latest performance offered a timely source of encouragement after a difficult start to the season, as they recovered from early danger to turn Sunday’s meeting with Nottingham Forest in their favour.
The occasion carried an added emotional edge for Palace supporters, with former manager Oliver Glasner in the visitors’ dugout. Glasner oversaw the most successful period in the Eagles’ history, guiding them to their first major trophy in the FA Cup before adding European success.
For much of the opening 40 minutes, however, Forest appeared to benefit from Glasner’s familiarity with Palace. The visitors controlled the contest while the home side struggled defensively, and Palace were fortunate not to fall behind when Morgan Gibbs-White hit the crossbar.
Liam Delap followed up on that effort, but Walter Benitez produced an important save to keep Palace in the game. That intervention proved crucial, because the Eagles were level five minutes later and the balance of the match shifted decisively.
Palace subsequently looked capable of claiming an even bigger victory, with Jefferson Lerma seeing a header saved by Mats Selz. After losing three of their first five matches, the result and the improvement from the 41st minute onwards should give Pierre Sage and Palace supporters renewed optimism.
