Chris Wood heaped more misery on a blunt Crystal Palace with the decisive goal in a scrappy 1-0 victory at the City Ground.
Despite Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah’s best efforts – both hitting the woodwork – Oliver Glasner’s side were unable to unlock Forest’s stubborn backline, and have now picked up three points from their opening eight matches.
They are one of four Premier League teams – alongside Ipswich, Southampton and Wolves – yet to find a winning formula this season.
Eventual scorer Wood missed a hat-trick of chances before unleashing the winner, responsible for nearly all of Forest’s first-half xG value (1.15), going closest when connecting with Elliot Anderson’s teasing cross.
Ryan Yates hit the post from a looping header at one end, while Nketiah struck the frame of Matz Sels’ goal with a long-ranger at the other, but clear-cut chances continued to be at a premium.
A similar pattern continued after the break until Eze drew a wonderful fingertip save from Sels at full stretch, before Wood finally made persistence pay, his strike squeezing beyond a blundering Dean Henderson to earn Forest their first home win of the campaign.
Wood has now scored seven of Forest’s last 10 league goals and five of their eight this season, to contrast with Palace’s obvious struggles in that department – since their top-flight return in 2013-14, they have failed to score in 150 games, 28 more than any other side.
Carra: Palace will be getting nervous
Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher speaking on MNF:
“Crystal Palace need to target home games as opportunities to get the results.
“Liverpool went there a few weeks ago and were hanging on a bit. It can be a difficult place for opposition teams to go. They have to make Selhurst Park a fortress.
“It is getting to the stage where they need to start picking up points. It is still early days but they will start to be getting a little bit nervous.”
