Crystal Palace overturned a first‑minute deficit to beat Nottingham Forest 3‑1 at Selhurst Park, denying former manager Oliver Glasner a triumphant return to the ground. The hosts’ comeback, powered by goals from Daichi Kamada, Jefferson Lerma and Yeremy Pino, snapped a 14‑year wait for a league win over the visitors and lifted Palace to 12th in the Premier League table.
Forest opened the scoring just three minutes in when Dan Ndoye finished a quick counter‑attack, giving the visitors a 1‑0 advantage that seemed to set the tone for the match. The early lead was met with a warm ovation for Glasner, who had guided Forest to trophies in previous seasons, but the mood shifted quickly as Palace began to assert control. Goalkeeper Walter Benítez made a string of crucial saves, denying Liam Delap, Morgan Gibbs‑White and Chris Wood, and keeping the hosts in the contest despite Forest’s early dominance.
Kamada’s first Premier League goal for Palace arrived in the 41st minute, levelising the score after a well‑placed shot from a cross that slipped past the Forest defence. Just four minutes later, Lerma’s stoppage‑time header put Palace ahead for the first time in the game, a moment that seemed to galvanise the Eagles. The momentum continued into the second half when Pino capitalised on a rebound from a saved shot by Forest’s goalkeeper Matz Sels to extend Palace’s lead to 3‑1. Benítez’s further stop in the 76th minute denied a close‑range effort from Chris Wood, preserving the two‑goal cushion.
The victory ends Palace’s long drought against Forest in the Premier League and provides a much‑needed boost for the side that has struggled to find form early in the campaign. With seven points from six games, the Eagles sit in 12th place, while Forest drop to 14th on five points. For Glasner, the match was a stark reminder that fan sentiment can shift rapidly once the whistle blows.
Under new manager Pierre Sage, Palace’s recent performances have shown a resurgence in attacking play. The club’s three‑goal haul in two of the last four league matches marks a stark contrast to the previous 37 Premier League games where they scored three or more only twice. Sage’s side has displayed a more free‑flowing style reminiscent of the Austrian’s first season, with pace, movement and creative combinations threatening opponents across the pitch. If the team can maintain this offensive momentum while tightening up a defence that has been vulnerable, the Eagles may well continue their upward trajectory in the standings.