Crystal Palace 3-1 Nottingham Forest: Pierre Sage’s Side Spoil Oliver Glasner’s Selhurst Park Return

Crystal Palace secured a 3-1 victory against Nottingham Forest on October 11, 2026, at Selhurst Park, overturning an early deficit in a Premier League fixture that featured contrasting fortunes for both clubs, Sky Sports reported. The result ended a 14-year wait for a league victory over Forest and lifted Pierre Sage’s side to 12th place in the table with seven points from six matches, while Nottingham Forest dropped to 14th with five points.

Early Disappointment and Forest Dominance

Nottingham Forest started the match aggressively and capitalized on defensive errors within the opening minutes. Dan Ndoye opened the scoring inside three minutes after Anan Khalaili’s attempted header back toward his goalkeeper fell directly into Ndoye’s path for a sharp finish, according to match statistics. Forest continued to press their advantage throughout the first half, testing Palace goalkeeper Walter Benítez repeatedly. Benítez produced a stellar point-blank save to deny Liam Delap and tipped a header from Ndoye over the crossbar, while Morgan Gibbs-White rattled the underside of the woodwork as Forest searched for a second goal.

Tactical Momentum Shift Before Halftime

Palace turned the match around late in the first half through quick counter-attacking play and clinical finishing. Daichi Kamada leveled the score in the 41st minute by slotting home after the ball broke kindly inside the penalty area, marking his first Premier League goal following a VAR review for a potential handball. Just before the interval in the 45th+4th minute, Jefferson Lerma headed home from a set-piece delivery that slipped through Matz Sels’ legs to complete the first-half turnaround. Yeremy Pino extended the lead to 3-1 in the 59th minute by reacting quickest to slot home a rebound after Sels saved an initial effort from Jorgen Strand Larsen, ending a 19-match scoreless run for the Spanish forward.

Controversy Surrounding Palace Second Goal

The Sun reported that Crystal Palace’s second goal generated significant debate after replays indicated the ball clipped Anan Khalaili’s elbow before crossing the line. Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey stated to the media that under Law 12 regarding handling the ball, any goal scored from an accidental handball should be disallowed. Despite a VAR review of the sequence prior to the restart, officials allowed the goal to stand and officially credited it to Jefferson Lerma, prompting heavy protests from visiting supporters.

Mixed Reception for Returning Manager Oliver Glasner

Oliver Glasner experienced a turbulent return to Selhurst Park following his departure from south London, where he previously delivered three trophies including the FA Cup and UEFA Conference League over the prior 16 months. While home supporters applauded him before kick-off in recognition of those achievements, the mood shifted dramatically as Palace took control, with sections of the crowd chanting Glasner, what’s the score? and You’re getting sacked in the morning. Glasner expressed gratitude for the initial applause during post-match comments reported by Football Ground Guide, while maintaining that Forest delivered their best performance of the season despite the final scoreline.

I want to say a huge thank you to the Crystal Palace fans for this great reception. I didn’t know what I could expect, but it just shows the wonderful memories we created together here.

Oliver Glasner

Upcoming Premier League Fixtures

Crystal Palace prepares to carry its newfound attacking momentum forward following back-to-back high-scoring performances under Pierre Sage, while Nottingham Forest looks to convert dominant spells of possession into points as the autumn league schedule continues.