With a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace, they were able to escape the penalty area.
In their first game following a four-point deduction from the Premier League for violating profit and sustainability regulations, Forest needed a goal from their star forward in the 61st minute to offset a goal scored by the visitors in the first half, Jean-Philippe Mateta.
Forest, which had dropped to the bottom three when the points were taken away, moved up to 17th place on goal differential when Luton lost at Tottenham.
Forest has filed an appeal this week against their sentence, although their players didn’t exactly spring into action until the second half, and they have only triumphed once in their previous ten league games.
Before the game began, Trent End supporters unfurled a big banner that said, “We shall fight and we shall overcome.” However, the team’s effort on the field in the first forty-five minutes did not match the energy in the seats, as Palace scored with their first meaningful attack just eleven minutes in.
After grabbing a loose ball, Jefferson Lerma sent a slide-rule pass to Eberechi Eze, who set Mateta up for his third goal in his previous four games, sending Matz Sels chasing after him as he reached the top corner.
After three minutes, the industrious Eze attempted to score from a deep left free-kick, but Sels was unprepared and mishandled the ball at the far post.
Forest saw plenty of ball play, but there was no decisive strike from Palace, who were content to drop deep and use all 11 men to get behind the ball in an effort to win and move closer to safety.
When Forest failed to put their former goalkeeper Dean Henderson—who had replaced Palace’s injured Sam Johnstone—to the test, there was no welcome home for the returning Wood.
Oliver Glasner’s team should have extended their lead seven minutes before halftime when Adam Wharton threaded a deep pass that put Eze through on goal, but Sels was out fast to block the chance.
Anthony Elanga was substituted for Ibrahim Sangare by Nuno Espirito Santo at halftime, but Palace was once again the first to pose a threat, as Eze blasted an effort wide after Wharton had sent him in after a brief corner.
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