Crystal Palace 0-0 Nottingham Forest: Roy Hodgson toasts his 400th game as a Premier League manager with a creditable home draw as his injury-hit side earn a point on landmark occasion after stop-start clash
Roy Hodgson reached the milestone of 400 games as a Premier League manager and, in the circumstances, this point for Crystal Palace was also worth celebrating.
Palace have been decimated by injuries, with their woes threatening to put a damper on a landmark opportunity for the well-traveled veteran manager.
They certainly hampered Palace’s hopes of following up their shock win at Manchester United with three more points and with Eberechi Eze among their latest victims, it’s no wonder they weren’t the most creative.
Eze was one of nine first-team players Palace started this game without and they saw that number reach double figures when they lost first Jeffrey Schlupp and then Jairo Riedewald.
No wonder, Hodgson said he could not recall such an injury crisis, not only in his 26 years in the Premier League, but in almost half a century as a manager.
Crystal Palace drew with Nottingham Forest in a landmark event for boss Roy Hodgson
Neither team managed to find a breakthrough at Selhurst Park with both defenses at the top
Hodgson celebrated his 400th game as a Premier League manager and toasted a highlight
Yet Palace gave everything they had and limited Forest to a few clear chances at the other end to secure a creditable draw.
Cheick Doucouré joined Palace star man Joel Ward and Eze on the sidelines during the week, although they at least had top scorer Odsonne Edouard back from his hamstring problem.
Forest, meanwhile, also struggled, suffering a major blow before the match, losing Taiwo Awoniyi for up to a month to a groin injury.
Forest’s pileup was not far off Palace’s in the end, with Serge Aurier and Oriel Mangala also forced off at Selhurst Park.
Palace started confidently in possession, but Forest eventually settled in and took control.
Harry Toffolo, making his first start since being hit with a five-month suspended betting ban, tested Sam Johnstone with a dull effort from distance before Morgan Gibbs-White was inches away from a Brilliant first game for Forest.
He met Murillo’s long, raked pass with a cushioned first-time lob over the advancing Johnstone. Everything about his attempt looked perfect, although the angle of his touch was just off when the ball hit the inside of the post and rebounded to a relieved Johnstone.
Palace then suffered another setback when Schlupp fell to the turf and had to come off.
It was the last thing they needed, although his replacement Jesurun Rak-Sakyi helped turn the game around for Palace and he became their biggest threat.
The young winger roused the crowd with a moment of trickery that brought Toffolo to the ground and, sensing the problems he was causing with his trickery and directness, Palace gave him the ball more and more as the half progressed. -time was coming to an end.
Rak-Sakyi also forced Toffolo into a desperate block when he met a cross with a volley.
Morgan Gibbs-White almost broke the deadlock after his chip hit the woodwork
The midfielder was inserted and produced a deft finish on the onrushing Sam Johnstone.
The last chance of the half fell to Murillo, with the Brazilian central defender creating everything himself.
He was in possession just inside the Palace half and, without pressure, headed towards the open space in front of him.
He burst between three Palace bodies, bamboozled Marc Guehi with some fancy footwork, but then saw Johnstone save his first effort and follow-up.
It would have been a goal from the eye-catching Brazilian who was making only his second Premier League appearance since his summer move from Corinthians.
It was not until the hour mark that the first real opportunity of the second half presented itself. Forest lost captain Aurier at half-time but had at least a World Cup winner to replace him and Gonzalo Montiel’s volley needed a brave block from Guehi to deny Johnstone more work to do.
Just after the hour mark, Palace should have taken the lead after a brilliant move from back to front.
The draw saw the teams share the spoils at Selhurst Park on Saturday afternoon.
Steve Cooper said he was encouraged by the “signs of progress” from his forestry side.
Johnstone picked out left-back Mitchell who beat a Forest man before finding Edouard. His control and touch helped the ball to Jean-Philippe Mateta who slipped at the crucial moment and could only slide his shot wide.
Palace were lifted once more and Mateta headed in Mitchell’s cross soon after.
But Montiel posed a new threat to Forest, unleashing another acrobatic volley which Joachim Andersen deflected just over his own bar.
And two more interventions from Johnstone, to deflect Gibbs-White’s shot and dive at the feet of Divock Origi, were needed to help Palace maintain their point.