Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Taiwo Awoniyi scored again in draw at Selhurst Park

Publish date: 2024-08-31

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi continued his excellent late-season form with the opening goal in a final-day draw at Crystal Palace.

With Forest having secured their Premier League status last weekend and Palace long since safe, there was a celebratory atmosphere at Selhurst Park before kick-off.

Awoniyi kept the away fans in good spirits when he raced on to Morgan Gibbs-White's superb through ball, twisted and turned before firing into the bottom corner on 31 minutes.

It came just a minute after Eberechi Eze had seen his close-range effort blocked on the line by team-mate Jordan Ayew at the other end.

Palace were on top for much of the second half and found the equaliser after 66 minutes, when Will Hughes headed in from Michael Olise's cross.

Neither side was able to find a winner and both can begin their plans for next season in earnest, although for Palace it remains to be seen whether that will be with Roy Hodgson at the helm.

Another Hodgson farewell?

Hodgson returned to Palace with the team having gone 13 games without a win. In the 10 games since, the Eagles have won five and drawn three to not only take them well clear of the relegation scrap but also above Chelsea to finish 11th.

While the fixtures may have been friendlier than those Patrick Vieira had to negotiate before his dismissal, it has been an impressive turnaround under the former England boss, with performances as well as results much improved and Eze one of a number of exciting young players reinvigorated since the change of manager.

"My situation is very simple: I took on a job, I was pleased to take on the job," Hodgson told BBC Match of the Day.

"The mandate was a simple one - to come in and help the team to get the number of points we need to stay in the league. That's what I've done and what I've enjoyed doing."

Hodgson's contract is up at the end of the season and the 75-year-old has given no indication as to whether he wants to stay should he be offered the chance.

Asked whether he would like to, Hodgson added: "I'm not prepared to make any comment like that. Before I start talking about whether I want to stay anywhere or take on any jobs, someone better offer me one."

But there was no obvious goodbye to the fans at the final whistle and it would be no great shock if Palace started the 2023-24 season with Hodgson in the dugout.

Forest fans party as Awoniyi reaches double figures

After beating Arsenal to guarantee their safety last weekend, the Forest fans were understandably in the mood to celebrate.

Some fans wore masks with the face of manager Steve Cooper, who brought them up and has now kept them in the top flight.

As important as Cooper in the past few weeks have been the goals of Awoniyi. The 25-year-old striker has scored six in his past four games and is the first Forest player to score in four straight Premier League games since Stan Collymore in 1995.

"You always want your number nine scoring goals," Cooper told Match of the Day. "I've said before that we missed him a lot when he got injured and he missed three months. He was doing well just before that and so to get him back in the form he has shown has been excellent."

His goal at Palace was also his 10th of the campaign and both he and Forest will hope there are plenty more to come next season.

Player of the match

AwoniyiTaiwo Awoniyi

with an average of 8.25

Crystal Palace

  • Squad number18Player nameMcArthur

    Average rating

    7.51

  • Squad number10Player nameEze

    Average rating

    7.10

  • Squad number14Player nameMateta

    Average rating

    6.76

  • Squad number44Player nameRiedewald

    Average rating

    6.71

  • Squad number19Player nameHughes

    Average rating

    6.69

  • Squad number29Player nameAhamada

    Average rating

    6.67

  • Squad number22Player nameÉdouard

    Average rating

    6.50

  • Squad number9Player nameJ Ayew

    Average rating

    6.41

  • Squad number6Player nameGuéhi

    Average rating

    6.35

  • Squad number7Player nameOlise

    Average rating

    6.31

  • Squad number16Player nameAndersen

    Average rating

    6.26

  • Squad number28Player nameDoucouré

    Average rating

    6.19

  • Squad number2Player nameWard

    Average rating

    6.17

  • Squad number3Player nameMitchell

    Average rating

    6.03

  • Squad number21Player nameJohnstone

    Average rating

    5.81

    • Nottingham Forest

  • Squad number9Player nameAwoniyi

    Average rating

    8.25

  • Squad number10Player nameGibbs-White

    Average rating

    8.05

  • Squad number20Player nameJohnson

    Average rating

    8.00

  • Squad number19Player nameNiakhaté

    Average rating

    7.73

  • Squad number4Player nameWorrall

    Average rating

    7.60

  • Squad number22Player nameYates

    Average rating

    7.60

  • Squad number32Player nameRenan Lodi

    Average rating

    7.58

  • Squad number24Player nameAurier

    Average rating

    7.56

  • Squad number5Player nameMangala

    Average rating

    7.52

  • Squad number13Player nameHennessey

    Average rating

    7.49

  • Squad number30Player nameBoly

    Average rating

    7.44

  • Squad number21Player nameKouyaté

    Average rating

    7.33

  • Squad number16Player nameSurridge

    Average rating

    6.79

  • Squad number15Player nameToffolo

    Average rating

    6.71

  • Squad number25Player nameDennis

    Average rating

    6.44

  • Squad number34Player nameA Ayew

    Average rating

    5.98

    • Line-ups

    Crystal Palace

    Formation 4-2-3-1

    21Johnstone

    2Ward16Andersen6Guéhi3Mitchell

    28Doucouré19Hughes

    7Olise10Eze9J Ayew

    22Édouard

    Substitutes

    Nottm Forest

    Formation 3-4-2-1

    13Hennessey

    4Worrall30Boly19Niakhaté

    24Aurier22Yates5Mangala32Lodi

    20Johnson10Gibbs-White

    9Awoniyi

    Substitutes

    Referee:Thomas Bramall

    Attendance:25,198

    Match Stats

    Live Text

  • Match ends, Crystal Palace 1, Nottingham Forest 1.

  • Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 1, Nottingham Forest 1.

  • Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.

  • Foul by Sèrge Aurier (Nottingham Forest).

  • Foul by Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace).

  • Moussa Niakhaté (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Attempt saved. Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Joachim Andersen with a through ball.

  • Joel Ward (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Foul by Emmanuel Dennis (Nottingham Forest).

  • Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jairo Riedewald replaces Will Hughes.

  • Substitution, Crystal Palace. Naouirou Ahamada replaces Michael Olise.

  • Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Sam Surridge replaces Taiwo Awoniyi.

  • Substitution, Nottingham Forest. André Ayew replaces Morgan Gibbs-White.

  • Foul by Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace).

  • Cheikhou Kouyaté (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Attempt blocked. Marc Guéhi (Crystal Palace) header from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Michael Olise with a cross.

  • Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Joe Worrall.

  • Attempt blocked. Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Michael Olise.

  • Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  • Foul by Cheikhou Kouyaté (Nottingham Forest).

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