Match Coverage

Paul Merson predicts four-goal thriller for Crystal Palace vs Forest, names two stars who can save the Eagles

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Thus far through the Premier League season, the Eagles are winless after seven games making this Monday a must-win.

The October international break is over, and now Crystal Palace need to kick into gear and finally pick up some points.

This is because as of right now, the Eagles look like a top contender for relegation, sitting 18th in the league without a single name to their name.

Position Team Played MP Won W Drawn D Lost L For GF Against GA Diff GD Points Pts
16 EvertonEverton7 1 2 4 7 15 -8 5
17 IpswichIpswich7 0 4 3 6 14 -8 4
18 Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace7 0 3 4 5 10 -5 3
19 SouthamptonSouthampton7 0 1 6 4 15 -11 1
20 WolvesWolves7 0 1 6 9 21 -12 1

Oliver Glasner has been working on his system over the break, however, while doing so he saw Crystal Palace draw with Ipswich in a friendly – not exactly an improvement.

Monday night however presents the Eagles with a chance to shoot themselves up the league and begin to make relegation concerns a thing of the past. But the experts are not predicting that to happen.

Paul Merson predicts Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest

After a long streak of winless games, the Eagles could go into Monday as low as 20th in the league if results go against them – so three points here is a necessity.

Now, in the build-up, Paul Merson has shared his prediction for the trip to the City Ground.

Crystal Palace FC v Liverpool FC - Premier League
Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images

Writing in his predictions column for SportsKeeda, Merson gave his verdict on the game – months after he warned Eagles’ fans that relegation was a possibility.

“Crystal Palace are struggling full stop at the moment. But I don’t think they’re in a relegation battle, they should be fine from that perspective. When Jean-Philippe Mateta and Eberechi Eze click, they will be fine and safe. But if Leicester end up getting the win this weekend and Palace lose, that becomes a concern.

READ MORE: Get to know Eberechi Eze, the versatile Crystal Palace and England star

“If that happens, Leicester have a chance of staying up and then you start to wonder who could be the team that will go down instead of them. That could bring some pressure on Oliver Glasner and his men. But for now, I’m not too worried about Palace’s safety. They have goals in them and that should be enough since Nottingham Forest often struggle at home.

“Both teams will look to win this fixture and there will definitely be goals. So I’m going for another draw here.”

Merson concluded by stating his scoreline prediction was Forest 2-2 Crystal Palace.

Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton also predict Eagles’ struggles to continue

Merson was not the only pundit to be giving his two-pence on the game this Monday night.

  • Premier League
    • Nottm ForestNottingham Forest

      Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace

Alan Shearer has also given his predictions in his column for the Metro and it makes grim reading for Eagles fans.

“Crystal Palace have been a little bit disappointing in terms of their results and haven’t looked great in defensive situations. Losing Joachim Andersen and the noise around Marc Guehi and Newcastle can’t have helped.

“I fancy Nottingham Forest to win this game with the form they’re in. Chris Wood is scoring goals again and with home advantage here, they might have too much for Palace at this moment in time.”

Chris Sutton also gave his own while predicting every result this weekend for the BBC.

“Crystal Palace need the win more, that is for sure. You can tell by listening to their manager Oliver Glasner that he knows he needs a positive result quickly, just to get that spark from last season back.

“Glasner wants to play this expansive brand of football but results mean a bit of doubt has crept in, and that is really evident from their performances.

“This all points towards a Nottingham Forest home win, which is what I am going with, but the good news for Palace is that every time I predict one of those, they stuff it up – Forest are yet to win at the City Ground this season.

Sutton predicted a Forest 1-0 win – this result could really leave the Eagles in trouble and Glasner under intense scrutiny.

Glasner will take confidence from the second-half display against Liverpool, but knows he needs points… and fast.