Nottingham Forest

Chris Adams
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest's surprisingly comfortable win over Brentford last week means they have taken seven points from the last nine going into the visit of Crystal Palace on Saturday.

That 2-0 victory in west London marked the first time 17th-placed Forest have kept consecutive clean sheets in the league this season.

Top scorer Morgan Gibbs-White laid on the second for substitute Taiwo Awoniyi and the attacking midfielder continues to be a beacon of hope for Forest as they bid to stave off relegation.

Since his Forest debut in August 2022, Gibbs-White's 28 Premier League assists are the second-most by an English player in the competition after Arsenal's Bukayo Saka (33).

Lucca the size of him

One man he'll be hoping to help on to the scoresheet is recent arrival Lorenzo Lucca. The giant Italian striker, who is in line to make his debut after joining on loan from Napoli, reportedly measures 201cm (6ft 7in), which would make him the tallest outfield player currently in the English top flight, according to Premier League data.

As was the case against Brentford, if Forest are in front at the interval they will fancy their chances against struggling Palace; of the 28 times a Sean Dyche side has led at half-time in a top-flight away match, he has suffered just one defeat.

Eagles' nosedive

Crystal Palace's form has fallen off a cliff in recent weeks, even before head coach Oliver Glasner announced he will be leaving Selhurst Park when his contract expires at the end of the season.

The Eagles, two places above Forest in 15th, are 11 games without a win in all competitions, eight of them in the league. Their form since mid-December makes for damning reading; they have won the fewest points, scored the fewest goals, lost the most games, and recorded the worst goal difference in the division since matchweek 16.

Former captain Marc Guehi is gone, top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta looks likely to follow, and midfielder Adam Wharton is suspended after his red card during last week's defeat by Chelsea. Saturday's prospects don't look much better for Palace fans.

Stick or twist with Oliver?

They haven't won in 11 previous Premier League meetings with Nottingham Forest, having drawn seven and lost four. It's both the most they've ever faced a side without winning and the most Forest have faced a side without losing in the competition.

The conversation around whether Glasner will see out the season is an increasingly loud one. This spell of eight league games without a victory is one of the worst in his managerial career, topped only by winless runs of 11 and 10 during his time at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace at the City Ground (kick-off 14:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Chris Wood remains sidelined with his knee injury.

• Dyche said Lorenzo Lucca, who Forest signed from Napoli on loan, is available for Sunday's game and is looking forward to getting involved.

• On Lucca: "He looks able without a doubt. We've been a bit limited with contact time, but he wants to do well. He's tall and it's not just about his aerial power because he can play too."

• He said the January market is "not an easy process" but he is being backed by the board so there is a possibility they will do more business before Monday's deadline. Dyche added: "I will leave it to the powers at be to see what they can get."

• Off the back of a decent run in form, Dyche wants his side to "to go again" with the positive "mentality" they have built.

• He said their defensive "solidity has been pleasing to see" as it has paid off with multiple clean sheets in January. Dyche added: "It's a solid base to work from."

• On opponents Crystal Palace: "They are on a tough run, but we are going the other way in that we are coming out of one. They were magnificent last season and had a solid start to this season."

Listen to live commentary of Nottingham Forest vs Crystal Palace on Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 from 14:00 GMT on Sunday

Ask us questions about Nottingham Forest and we'll put them to our experts

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

If the Jorgen Strand Larsen move to Crystal Palace falls through, it could have an impact on Jean-Philippe Mateta's anticipated exit from Selhurst Park before Monday's transfer deadline.

The 28-year-old France forward has told Palace he wants to leave this month, with the Eagles increasingly open to sanctioning his departure.

Nottingham Forest have already seen a £35m offer rejected by Palace and are set to accelerate their efforts to sign Mateta in the coming days - while Juventus and AC Milan are among other clubs to have shown a concrete interest in the striker.

Mateta is understood to want to play Champions League football, but is open to a move to the City Ground.

Palace want a replacement before sanctioning Mateta's exit - and are set to sign versatile attacker Evann Guessand on loan from Aston Villa.

However, it is unclear whether the Eagles want a new recognised centre-forward through the door before allowing Mateta to leave.

Read more on the Strand Larsen situation

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Nottingham Forest's 4-0 win over Ferencvaros in Thursdays Uefa Europa League game.

Here are some of your comments:

David: It looked like the players were enjoying the game, which had the effect of improving their performance. McAtee looked up for it before the game and there is certainly a player in there somewhere. Well done all.

Sean: After the disappointing trip to Portugal last week this was the perfect response and a great way to finish the league phase. Long overdue arrival of McAtee as well with a player-of-the-match performance. Hopefully we can kick on in both league and cup now.

• Listen to clips of McAtee, Jesus and Dyche

Ben: A performance that very much rights the wrong of the debacle in Braga. So pleasing to see James McAtee finally lay down a marker in a Forest shirt. More performances like that and he could become an important player for Forest. There is a still a lot of work for Forest to do in Europe, but at least they have given themselves a chance to do it.

Michael: McAtee is a quality player. Just needs a run in the team . The trick for Dyche is finding a position for him that best utilises his skills.

Stephen: Great performance. The players who don't normally play rose to the challenge. Jesus was immense. Top performance from everyone. Well done and keep that going on to Sunday

Carl: A delight to finally see McAtee play the role we signed him for. A solid performance all round with captain Yates leading the charge.

Ajax are set to sign Ukraine midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko on a permanent deal. The 29-year-old is on loan at Nottingham Forest from Arsenal. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche, speaking to TNT Sports after the 4-0 win over Ferencvaros: "It has not been easy through various games, the schedule, planning, travelling and all that sort of stuff. To come out of a disappointing one in Braga and then to deliver that, I am very pleased. I said last time I want them to lay a marker down and put constant doubt in my mind.

"It has been very difficult, but I am really pleased and I am pleased for the supporters as well to enjoy that.

"I'm pleased with him [James McAtee]. We have been speaking to him about trying to play with freedom. I thought Dan Ndoye was super sharp tonight. Some of the games he hasn't been where he [McAtee] wants to be or where we want him to be. Tonight, he was and I am pleased for him. He has been putting the work in without a doubt.

"They're has been good signs recently and good signs tonight."

Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Igor Jesus has been a revelation for Forest in Europe this season with six of his 11 goals coming in the Europa League.

This double also means he has got three goals in his last two games and the threat of competition for his place in attack could be spurring him on.

Napoli striker Lorenzo Lucca was last week signed on loan and he was watching this game in the stands.

That may well have been on Jesus' mind as he was impressive against Ferencvaros, producing two excellent finishes for his goals and generally being a menace to the visitors' defence with his pace and movement.

Jesus was not alone in catching the eye, with James McAtee producing his best performance in a Nottingham Forest shirt since signing from Manchester City last summer, while Dan Ndoye also impressed.

These encouraging performances will give Forest some renewed optimism as they switch focus to pulling further away from the Premier League relegation zone when they host Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Get in touch with your views here

Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies

Nottingham Forest make five changes from the weekend.

Ryan Yates, Zach Abbott, James McAtee, Dan Ndoye and Morato all come into the side.

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels; Abbott, Milenkovic, Morato, Williams, Yates, Sangaré, McAtee, Ndoye, Domínguez, I. Jesus.

Subs: Gunn; Willows, Murillo, Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Bakwa, Aina, Whitehall, Thompson, Sinclair.

Ferencvaros XI: Grof, Cisse, Otvos, Szalai, Makreckis, Romao, Kanichowsky, Levi, Cadu, Yusuf, Zachariassen.

Subs: Varga, Toth, Keita, Gruber, Golik, Lakatos, Madarasz, Joseph, Nagy. Referee: Sebastian Gishamer (Austria)

There are 18 games in the Europa League on Thursday as the league phase reaches its climax, and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Aston Villa v Red Bull Salzburg

• Basel v Viktoria Plzen

• Celtic v Utrecht

• FCSB v Fenerbahce

• Genk v Malmo

• Go Ahead Eagles v Braga

• Lille v Freiburg

• Ludogorets Razgrad v Nice

• Maccabi Tel Aviv v Bologna

• Midtjylland v Dinamo Zagreb

• Nottingham Forest v Ferencvaros

• Lyon v PAOK

• Panathinaikos v Roma

• Porto v Rangers

• Real Betis v Feyenoord

• Red Star Belgrade v Celta Vigo

• Sturm Graz v Brann

• Stuttgart v Young Boys

All kick-offs 20:00 GMT

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Image source, Getty Images

Nottingham Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic says it has been "a pleasure" to play in Europe this season and hopes they can continue to make Forest fans "happy" with a home win against Ferencvaros on Thursday.

If Forest beat the Hungarian team then their second leg of the Europa League play-off will be at the City Ground.

"We approach this like every game in that you play to win," Milenkovic told BBC Radio Nottingham. "We want a positive result to make our fans happy and to finish as high as possible in the table as that's really important for the next phase.

"Playing [the second leg] at home would be a big advantage. The objective was top eight, but we are still happy to progress into the next round.

"It's a pleasure to be in Europe and on this journey with our fans."

Listen to Milenkovic's interview on BBC Sounds

Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche has been speaking to the media before Thursday's Premier League game against Ferencvaros at the City Ground (20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Nicolo Savona is "unlikely" to be involved in Thursday's game: "Sav has got a knee situation we are having looked at. We don't think it's too serious at this time but we have got to check it out. He's unlikely to be figuring. He will be seeing a specialist today - more as a secondary check to make sure it is what we think it is. It could be days, it could be weeks."

• Last season's top scorer Chris Wood is making "steady progress" as he continues to recover from a knee problem suffered in October: "The repair on the knee has gone well and it is just steady progress now. It is week by week and making sure it is going in the right direction, which it certainly is so far."

• Goalkeeper John Victor is expected to miss the rest of the season: "He's going to be out for a while. It's an unfortunate one."

• Could Forest look to recruit after Savona's injury?: "The club are a trading club. They always make it clear to me we are looking at different positions. It's fair to say full-back is one of them given our left-back situation. We're looking at various options, it's not just that position. We are just being proactive to try and strengthen where we can."

• Dyche said Douglas Luiz's move to Aston Villa "is more or less getting done" and represents a "win" .

• On managing Europe alongside the league: "It's for the right reasons. We are in Europe, juggling is tough but that is part of it. It has its challenges but so far, apart from the one at Braga, we have done really well with rotated teams. Overall I'm not disappointed, we were just a long way off against Braga. The league form has now started to pick up."

• How has Lorenzo Lucca adapted since his loan move from Napoli?: "His English is very good which helps. He's a big fella but he can move. Since he's been in the building he looks fit and well and looks like he wants to make a mark here."

Nottingham Forest approached Brighton about a potential deal for 34-year-old ex-England defender Lewis Dunk but Albion turned down the offer. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport