Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup vs Crystal Palace

It’s now or never for Nottingham Forest, who travel to Crystal Palace in dire need of three points as they look to bookmark their fairytale season with a Champions League happy ending. With four games to go, the Tricky Trees now sit in sixth place but could move as high as fourth if they defeat Oliver Glasner’s Eagles and results go their way elsewhere.

Following Forest’s defeat to Brentford last time out, their chances of finishing in the top five decreased sharply from 75% to 53%, according to Opta, and Nuno Espirito Santo will be desperate for his side to get back on track at Selhurst Park. Here is our Nottingham Forest predicted lineup.

Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup for Must-Win Premier League Game vs Crystal Palace on May 5

How Forest Have Lined Up Recently

Nuno was able to revert to his preferred 4-3-2-1 system against the Bees thanks to the much-needed return of right-back Ola Aina, who had missed the previous four games with a calf problem.

Goalkeeper Matz Sels remains in pole position to win the Premier League Golden Glove this season, although Arsenal’s David Raya has closed the gap to just one. In front of him, stalwarts Nikola Milenkovic and Murillo endured an uncharacteristically difficult evening against Brentford, with the two central defenders struggling with the Bees’ barrage of long balls and pacey forwards.

Ola Aina managed 75 minutes at right-back on his return, with Neco Williams reclaiming the left-back spot from able deputy Harry Toffolo. In midfield, Nuno opted for the tried-and-tested pair of Elliot Anderson and captain Ryan Yates, leaving out Argentine Nicolas Dominguez who has featured heavily in recent weeks.

Out wide, speedsters Callum Hudson-Odoi and Anthony Elanga continue to be the preferred pair and have 22 Premier League goal contributions between them. Morgan Gibbs-White operated in the centre of the three, a position in which the 25-year-old has excelled this season as Forest have defied all odds to fight for a Champions League place.

Chris Wood looks to be back to full fitness and was given the whole 90 minutes against the Bees. The New Zealander will be keen to hit a career-first 20 goals for the season against Palace, which would be a huge milestone for the 33-year-old.

Nottingham Forest Recent Form and Tactics

After performing at such a consistently high level throughout the season, Forest seem to have lost a little bit of the edge that had made them so difficult to beat, losing four of their last five games in all competitions. Perhaps even more worryingly, the Tricky Trees have scored just three goals in those five games and conceded eight.

Nuno’s side have won huge praise for their defensive shape and rear-guard prowess this campaign, but have started to look surprisingly shaky in recent weeks. As the Portuguese manager’s style relies on soaking up intense pressure and preventing the opposition from scoring, any slip in the standard of defending can be catastrophic.

As their defensive record has been so impressive, keeping 13 clean sheets in 34 games, Forest have typically been able to win games without requiring many goals, scoring the 11th-most in the league with 53. Against Palace, the Midlands side will need to return to the counter-attacking style that has made them so impressive away from home.

Nottingham Forest Injuries to Consider

Callum Hudson-Odoi is Forest’s premier injury concern, with the winger currently being assessed after a possible hamstring issue saw the 24-year-old forced off at half-time against Brentford. It remains to be seen whether Hudson-Odoi will play a part in the remainder of the season but he is unlikely to feature at Selhurst Park.

Youngster Eric de Silva Moreira also continues to be assessed, but may not be back in the fold for some time.