Crystal Palace Value Bet as Nottingham Forest Face Key Absences

As Premier League football resumes following the international break, Nottingham Forest will host Crystal Palace on Monday evening. Forest have enjoyed a promising start to the season, but a combination of home struggles and key player absences may hand Palace a golden opportunity to snatch a result.

Forest’s Home Struggles and Key Absences

Nottingham Forest may have impressed with a 1-0 win at Anfield and a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge, but their home form is a different story. Forest have yet to secure a win at the City Ground this season, with disappointing draws against Wolves and Bournemouth, and a 1-0 loss to Fulham.

Adding to their woes, Forest are facing an availability crisis ahead of Monday’s clash. Star playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White, pivotal in their creative setup, is a serious doubt after picking up an injury against Chelsea. Without Gibbs-White, Forest’s attacking rhythm could falter, as they’ve consistently struggled without him in the side. This season alone, Forest have looked disjointed whenever Gibbs-White has been unavailable.

Further complicating matters, key midfielder James Ward-Prowse is suspended, while strikers Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi will be returning from gruelling international duties. Wood, fresh from New Zealand’s matches, and Awoniyi, who endured a 16-hour layover in Libya, may not be in top condition for the match.

Palace to Exploit Forest’s Vulnerabilities?

Crystal Palace, despite an inconsistent start to their campaign, are poised to take advantage of Forest’s difficulties. The Eagles have had their struggles on the road but will look to replicate the tactics used by Fulham and Wolves—sitting deep, soaking up pressure, and hitting Forest on the break.

Palace boast players like Eberechi Eze and Ismaila Sarr, who possess the pace and creativity to cause problems for Forest’s backline. If they can find their scoring form, Palace could make life difficult for a Forest side that’s missing key figures.

Can Palace Capitalise?

The stats don’t lie. Nottingham Forest have been a shadow of their former selves at home this season, and without Gibbs-White pulling the strings, their attacking play lacks fluidity. Crystal Palace, while not at their best, will see this as a chance to capitalise on a weakened Forest squad and return to winning ways in the Premier League.

This matchup promises to be a fascinating tactical battle. With Forest’s home fortress showing cracks and Palace’s speed on the counter-attack, the Eagles may represent excellent value in the betting markets for Monday’s showdown.

Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

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