Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest predictions: Premier League tips and odds

Our betting expert has three Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest tips for the Premier League game at Selhurst Park tomorrow (kick-off, 5.45pm). Scroll down to see the analysis behind his selections.

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest betting tips

Odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

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Awoniyi can rediscover form

Palace will be without the injured Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, two of their key creative sparks, and manager Roy Hodgson also has an injury concern over striker Odsonne Edouard.

The Frenchman has scored four of Palace’s seven league goals this season and centre-back Joachim Andersen, who struck a brilliant winner at Old Trafford, has notched two of the other three.

Those stats suggest the hosts may struggle for goals if Edouard is not passed fit so Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is a tempting bet to be the first goalscorer at Selhurst Park.

Awoniyi has gone five games without a goal but before that he had found the net in consecutive matches against Arsenal, Sheffield United and Manchester United.

He finished last season in rampant goalscoring form, scoring six times in his final four league appearances – including the opener against Palace at Selhurst on the final day of the campaign.

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest tip 1: Taiwo Awoniyi to be first goalscorer @ 11/2 with Paddy Power

Tight affair expected

Palace came back to draw that final-day fixture with Forest 1-1 thanks to a second-half goal from Will Hughes and that correct score looks like a big runner on Saturday.

Both of these clubs are used to being involved in tight contests. The only one of Palace’s first seven games settled by more than a one-goal margin was their 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa, whose goals came in the 87th, 98th and 101st minutes.

Two of Forest’s last three games, against Brentford and Burnley, have ended 1-1 and they needed an 89th-minute winner from Chris Wood to earn a 2-1 home victory over Sheffield United in August.  

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest tip 2: 1-1 correct score @ 5/1 with Paddy Power

Expect fouls for bet builder

Forest beat Palace 1-0 at the City Ground last season before their final-day 1-1 draw in south-east London and the Eagles’ injuries in attack point to another low-scoring contest between the sides.

Forest’s last five matches in all competitions each finished with under 2.5 goals and that looks a solid first leg for a bet builder.

Palace forward Jordan Ayew loves to put opposition defenders under pressure, occasionally crossing the line with his challenges, and he is worth backing to commit two or more fouls on Saturday.

Only four players in the Premier League had committed more fouls than Ayew’s 13 before the start of the latest round of fixtures and Palace full-back Joel Ward could also find himself in trouble with the referee.

Ward, likely to be up against tricky Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi, has been booked three times in seven league appearances this season and has committed two fouls in two of his last three outings against Manchester United and Aston Villa.

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest tip 3: Bet builder: Under 2.5 goals, Jordan Ayew to commit 2+ fouls and Joel Ward to commit 2+ fouls @ 7/1 with Paddy Power

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest odds

Odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.