Crystal Palace host Nottingham Forest at Selhurst Park on 11 October 2026 in a Matchweek 6 fixture carrying extra intrigue from Oliver Glasner's return to his old club. Palace sit 15th on four points from five games while Forest occupy 13th on five. Pierre Sage's structured, compact approach faces Glasner's progressive, high pressing style and with Palace carrying one of the division's weakest defensive records and Forest still adapting to their new manager, the stakes are plain enough without dressing them up.
This is the first time Sage and Glasner have faced each other as opposing managers. Sage took charge at Palace on 15 June 2026, stepping into the job Glasner had just vacated, while Glasner moved to Forest on 6 July after replacing Vitor Pereira. Sage inherited Glasner's squad and its tactical problems, now Glasner has to beat the team he built.
Palace's most recent outing was a 0-0 draw at Leeds on 20 September, showing defensive organisation but also the bluntness in attack that their record reflects: one win from five with 11 goals conceded. Forest arrive having taken one win and two draws from five, with their defensive numbers the only area Glasner can point to with confidence, though a home loss to Coventry in early October exposed how quickly their high press can unravel when opponents hit them on the break.
Sage has a messy injury list to navigate, with Axel Disasi suspended, Chadi Riad still out with a long term ACL injury, Dean Henderson unavailable with a foot problem, Jean-Philippe Mateta sidelined by a hamstring issue and Takehiro Tomiyasu a doubt with a calf concern. That leaves Adam Wharton carrying most of the midfield responsibility while Tyrick Mitchell is expected to push further forward than usual to compensate for the lack of attacking options.
Glasner's list is just as long: Igor Jesus is out with a calf injury, Nikola Milenkovic misses out with a knee bone bruise, Nicolo Savona is also absent through a knee problem and Neco Williams is a doubt through illness. Losing two centre backs puts pressure on the rest of the defence and puts the entire creative burden on Gibbs-White, who will need to make things happen from deeper than usual, with Liam Delap and Dan Ndoye expected to lead the attack.
Sage has settled on a 3-4-2-1 shape built around compact defensive lines and patient build up. Without Disasi and with Tomiyasu doubtful, Wharton will need to protect the defence from deep while Mitchell pushes forward from left wing back (already with two goals this season), making him likely Palace's most dangerous outlet going forward. Losing Mateta forces Palace into more deliberate combinations rather than direct service and Jørgen Strand Larsen starts as Palace's lone striker in what amounts to a patchwork front line.
Forest operate from a similar 3-4-2-1 but with very different intent, pressing hard and looking to get Delap and Ndoye in behind the defensive line. Gibbs-White is the one most likely to pull Palace's block out of shape, either by drawing a foul or threading a pass into the runners and losing Milenkovic and Savona may push Forest to press even higher to compensate for reduced defensive cover, which in turn opens space for Palace on the counter. The battle between Wharton's positioning and Gibbs-White's roaming will likely decide the game.
The broader tactical clash is one Sage will try to make ugly: Palace need a clean sheet badly and will look to stay compact and limit Forest's width, hoping Kamada and Mitchell can find room to combine on the counter. If Forest disrupt Palace's shape, the space in behind Mitchell on the left opens up for Forest's runners, particularly with the goalkeeper situation unsettled. Both sides' injury depleted defences will push each manager toward caution rather than adventure, which means Forest would need to break Palace down rather than use the space they prefer to press into.
Recent Premier League meetings between these sides have tended to be low scoring, with several 1-1 draws between 2024 and 2026 and Forest hold a historical edge despite Palace's last Premier League win against them predating 2012.
Given the defensive absences on both sides, Palace will look to use Mitchell's delivery and Wharton's aerial presence from dead balls, while Forest may target the same situations through Gibbs-White. As for Glasner returning to Selhurst Park: if it shapes how he sets Forest up knowing Palace's defensive structure from the inside, it is worth noting, if it merely colours the broadcast narrative, it probably isn't.
Palace 2-1 Forest. Sage's ability to organise a compact block should limit Forest's pressing game at least partially, with Palace's home record at Selhurst this season backing the call. The absences at centre back leave Forest exposed to transitions once Palace win the ball in midfield and Kamada and Mitchell are Palace's most dangerous outlets when the ball is turned over. Glasner's return adds something unpredictable and Forest's press will keep creating half chances even when behind but Palace score first and grind it out.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
