Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the English Premier League match.
Once again, Nottingham Forest close out the round, but knowing the earlier results of the weekend offers them little advantage. The risk of missing out on a Champions League spot is becoming increasingly real. There is no room left for another slip-up.
Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, have no such concerns. Having spent much of the season ensuring a safe distance from the relegation zone, they now have the luxury of focusing on building cohesion ahead of the FA Cup final. Indeed, they are one of the lucky two set to feature at Wembley alongside Manchester City, whose presence in the final was always expected. After suffering heavy defeats on the road in mid-April — 2:5 against Manchester City and 0:5 against Newcastle United — results have since stabilised. Importantly, those losses came in away fixtures. At Selhurst Park, Crystal Palace are unbeaten in their last four English Premier League home games, winning three of them. This solid run at home is further backed by two FA Cup victories.
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest have recently looked disjointed, as if the early-season momentum has evaporated. They were once considered a team that achieved unexpected success during the campaign, but no other side in the English Premier League has experienced such a significant and rapid decline in form. For much of the season, Nottingham Forest held a firm grip on third place and performed well against top opposition. However, their form began to dip in less high-profile fixtures, including a 0:1 home loss to Everton and a 0:2 defeat to Brentford at City Ground.
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest Prediction
Could Nottingham Forest be more comfortable away from home? There is some evidence to suggest so. They have picked up nearly the same number of points on the road — 29 as opposed to 31 — and rank third in the away standings, compared to seventh at home. Even so, their recent away form includes just two wins from the last five matches, with three defeats. Given Crystal Palace’s strong form at Selhurst Park, they appear the more likely side to come away with a win.
