It is a rare pressure-free game for Nottingham Forest this weekend as they head to Crystal Palace with the luxury of having already secured another season in the Premier League.
Victory over Arsenal at the City Ground clinched survival for the Reds with a game to spare. Rather than the prospect of a nervy final day at Selhurst Park, it means there will be nothing riding on Sunday’s match for either side.
Head coach Steve Cooper will still want Forest to sign off on a positive note, particularly given their struggles away from home this term. But his selection decisions might be influenced by his team not requiring a certain result to stay up, not least because a few players have been carrying knocks.
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Given he limped off in the closing moments against the Gunners and hadn't been taking the goal-kicks, it might be that PSG loanee Keylor Navas has played his last game for the club. If that is the case, Wayne Hennessy would take up position between the posts, just as he did last Saturday.
Cooper stuck with the formation which worked in the previous match at Chelsea as he formulated a plan to get the better of Arsenal. It meant Brennan Johnson’s attacking threat was sacrificed, with the Wales international on the bench as Forest retained a back line of Joe Worrall, Felipe and Moussa Niakhate, plus wing-backs Serge Aurier and Renan Lodi.
It could be the manager reverts to a four-man defence in the capital, to allow for Johnson to come back in. Felipe and Niakhate have been the first-choice centre-back pairing recently, but Worrall has been excellent in the last two games and when he came on at right-back against Southampton.
The midfield of Ryan Yates, Orel Mangala and Danilo has been working well, but the latter was forced off against the Gunners. If he is not fit or Cooper decides to rest him, Cheikhou Kouyate could slot in. Remo Freuler is also an option, if needed, and it remains to be seen whether Jonjo Shelvey will come back into the squad.
In attack, Johnson, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi have been integral to the Reds’ survival mission. Awoniyi is finishing the campaign in fine form, with his goal at the City Ground making it five in three games for the front man. He will be eager to maintain that scoring streak in the capital.
If Cooper does want to give others a run-out, however, Emmanuel Dennis and Sam Surridge will no doubt hope to get some minutes. Meanwhile, given Andre Ayew and Jesse Lingard both have deals which come to an end in the summer, any appearance for them would likely be their final one in the Garibaldi.
Predicted Forest XI: Hennessey; Aurier, Worrall, Niakhate, Lodi; Yates, Mangala, Kouyate; Gibbs-White; Johnson, Awoniyi.
How should Forest line up against Palace? Have your say in the comments below
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