ROY’S KO BLOW
Eagles boss misses out on milestone in bore draw
CRYSTAL PALACE’S injury crisis took a new turn for the worse as they failed to find a winner in yet another goalless stalemate on home soil.
Roy Hodgson, who was unable to mark his 400th Premier League game as a manager with victory, must be beginning to wonder whether his Palace side are cursed.
He is now down to bare bones in midfield as Jeffrey Schlupp and Jairo Riedewald – making his first top-flight start since August 2021 – hobbled off with hamstring injuries.
It comes just days after Hodgson also confirmed Eberechi Eze had suffered a “serious” hamstring injury, as Michael Olise and Jefferson Lerma remain sidelined with the same problem.
A point is no disaster for either side but this felt like a significant day in Palace’s season as their sickening injury crisis plunged to new depths of despair.
Youngster Jesurun Rak-sakyi was a rare ray of light as he dazzled from the bench with his Bukayo Saka-esque dribbling.
Forest came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 20th minute when central defender Murillo hit a raking 50-yard ping that dropped right into the path of Morgan Gibbswhite.
However, his side-footed volley eventually bounced off the post.
Despite Palace pressure, Forest stood firm and while their scattergun transfer policy – which has seen them sign 42 players since sealing their top-flight return – has exposed countless flops, they look to have acquired a gem in 21-year-old Brazilian centre-back Murillo.
His mesmerising jinking run right on the stroke of half-time embarrassed the helpless Palace defence before Sam Johnstone was forced into a fine save.
The best chance of the game fell Jean-philippe Mateta’s way for Palace when he somehow fired wide following Odsonne Edouard’s incisive pass.
Nicolas Dominguez also forced a stunning late stop from the busy Johnstone.
Forest have now lost just one of their last 12 league meetings with Palace.