Taiwo Awoniyi and Will Hughes traded goals as Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest finished off seasons with Premier League safety following a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park on Championship Sunday.
WATCH CRYSTAL PALACE vs NOTTINGHAM FOREST FULL MATCH REPLAY STREAM - LINK
Both clubs feared relegation earlier this season, but Forest’s Steve Cooper guided his much-changed club to safety and Roy Hodgson replaced Patrick Vieira to stabilize Palace’s season.
Palace finishes 11th with 45 points, while Forest’s 38 points are four points above the line in Its first season back in the Premier League.
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Cooper, Hodgson finish jobs well done
Neither Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper nor Palace counterpart Roy Hodgson would’ve seen themselves in this position earlier this season.
Yes, Cooper might’ve thought his team would take time to adjust to the Premier League but did he expect an entire season flirting with relegation? Probably not given the investment in his side, but he did very well to navigate what became a dragged-out process and Forest did well to stick with the man who got them to the PL.
Hodgson was retired at the start of the season and it surprised many that Palace cut ties with Patrick Vieira only to bring Hodgson back. The club legend did well right away, though, and he’Il only be more beloved should he decide to retire (again).
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest player ratings: Stars of the Show
Michael Olise
Morgan Gibbs-White
Will Hughes
Taiwo Awoniyi goal video
Will Hughes goal video
How to watch Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 11:30 am ET, SundayOnline: Stream via Peacock Premium
Key storylines & star players
Since Hodgson replaced Patrick Vieira on March 21, Crystal Palace have been in fine form and promptly exited the relegation scrap themselves. The Eagles have enjoyed an incredible run (5W-2D-2L) in nine games under Hodgson, immediately on the back of a 12-game winless skid which started with the new year and ended on Hodgson’s return nearly three months later.
It has been a similar story for Nottingham Forest, only without the midseason managerial change. The Reds were in big trouble as April wound down, but then they reeled off three wins in their last five games (3W-1D-1L) to guarantee themselves a second season in the Premier League.
Crystal Palace team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Wilfried Zaha (thigh), James Tomkins (calf), Luka Milivojevic (undisclosed), Nathan Ferguson (undisclosed), Jeffrey Schlupp (knock)
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) May 28, 2023
Nottingham Forest team news, injuries, lineup options
OUT: Keylor Navas (adductor), Neco Williams (head), Dean Henderson (thigh), Chris Wood (thigh), Giulian Biancone (knee), Omar Richards (calf), Jack Colback (concussion), Jonjo Shelvey (calf), Scott McKenna (shoulder), Danilo (hamstring), Felipe (knock), Gustavo Scarpa (knee)
Here’s your final #NFFC line-up of the season 💛
— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC) May 28, 2023
📋 #CRYNFO pic.twitter.com/8ALdBnXdEf