Crystal Palace 0 Nottm Forest 0
Roy Hodgson took charge of his 400th game as his side welcomed Nottingham Forest to Selhurst Park as injuries left his side depleted for this home game. As ever, it was a cauldron of noise as the home fans looked to spur their side on.
Forest created the first chance of the game as Toffolo rifled in a long-range shot but Johnstone was equal to it. A long ball from defence then found Gibbs-White who deftly dinked it over the keeper only to see his effort come back off the post.
Crystal Palace were really struggling to create anything of note in the absence of both Eze and Olise, who were out injured, it was left to Jordan Ayew to try and carry things on the creativity front. Forest were the side looking most likely to score however.
The stand-out moment of the first half was when Murillo went on a mazy run from his own half, beating all comers before getting into the box, only to see Johnstone stick out a hand to deny him a goal of the month contender.
Credit: @NFFC
Edouard found Mateta in the second half in the middle of the goal but the striker seemed to slip as he hit the effort and it went harmlessly wide of the goal. He really should have been burying it after all the hard work had been done.
Forest continued the threaten and when Montiel scissor-kicked an effort from outside of the box, Andersen had to get a touch to take it over the crossbar. It seemed that Johnstone may have had it covered but the Palace defender could not take the chance.
Dominguez then combined well on the right wing and as he cut inside onto his left foot, he looked to bend one in the far corner but Johnstone saved the effort at full-stretch to deny the visitors a goal yet again.
Divock Origi almost got a late winner in added time but he could not get the telling touch to take the ball past the Palace keeper. The two sides shared the spoils and Crystal Palace keeper Sam Johnstone was the main reason Roy Hodgson’s side had anything to show for their efforts.
Nottingham Forest on another day may have had three contenders for goal of the month but it was just not to be thanks to Sam Johnstone. It was a solid point on the road, along with a clean sheet, for Steve Cooper’s side.
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