Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest: Nuno Espirito Santo’s side keep fragile Champions League hopes alive as Murillo cancels out Eberechi Eze opener

When they felt their luck had run out, a flick of Murillo’s boot kept Nottingham Forest’s dreams of Champions League football just about alive.

Forest visited FA Cup finalists Crystal Palace with three defeats in four in the league and their confidence fragile. 

And when Eberechi Eze put the home side in front from the penalty spot, it looked as though the visitors hopes of a top-five finish were turning to dust.

Murillo had other ideas. The Brazilian had been outstanding at the back all evening and when Neco Williams’ wayward shot zipped towards him, instinct took over. 

He moved his boot towards the ball and within seconds, he was running to celebrate in front of the Forest fans after his touch took the ball beyond Dean Henderson and earned his team a point.

It got hairy for Forest towards the end as the home side missed chances and Eze hit the bar. But with fixtures against Leicester and West Ham to come before a potential final day decider against Chelsea, Forest fight on.

After watching top-five rivals Chelsea take advantage of a listless Liverpool on Sunday, Forest must have hoped Palace might show a similar lack of motivation, with an FA Cup Final to prepare for later this month.

As soon as they saw the team sheet, Forest would have known there was little chance of that. Oliver Glasner picked the same starting XI that helped demolish Aston Villa in the semi-final and Palace were soon into their stride here, their wing-backs glued to the touchlines and looking to stretch Forest early on.

Neco Williams made two important interventions to stop Daniel Munoz in his tracks and when Elliot Anderson tried to cut out Chris Richards’ cross, the ball fell loose in the Forest box. 

Luckily for the visitors, it was centre-back Maxence Lacroix rather than top scorer Jean-Philippe Mateta who moved on to it, and the shot did not trouble Matz Sels.

Not long afterwards, Adam Wharton’s corner caused a wild scramble inside the Forest box before Morgan Gibbs-White finally hacked clear. Then Tyrick Mitchell, under pressure from Ola Aina, headed past his own goalkeeper Dean Henderson and was relieved Lacroix was there to tidy up the mess.

Both these teams like to wait and counter and that meant there were few clear chances. Elliot Anderson’s clipped pass found the run of Nicolas Dominguez, who tried to head back for Chris Wood rather than aim for goal.

Then Sels made a sharp save from Munoz at the far post as Mitchell’s cross picked out his fellow wing-back. After two disappointing results at home, Forest looked a little happier on the road. They were competing well with Palace and could have scored twice before half-time.

First Anderson put Gibbs-White’s cross into the side netting, as Wood demanded a penalty for a tussle with Munoz as the ball was delivered. 

Then after a rapid break involving Gibbs-White, Dominguez and Wood, Lacroix’s sliding challenge just took the edge of Anthony Elanga’s shot from 15 yards, helping Henderson make the save. Without the injured Callum Hudson-Odoi on the opposite flank, Elanga was Forest’s only winger and he found himself closely shackled in the first half.

Like Elanga, Gibbs-White had struggled to make a strong impact. Early in the second half, the pair swapped passes and only a timely interception from Lacroix stopped Gibbs-White reaching the return pass.

With neither side able to establish control, defences had to be alert. Munoz found crossing space on the right and the lively Ismaila Sarr met it at the near post but headed wide.

Then there were chances at either end with a minute. First Sels saved superbly from Sarr and then Forest broke instantly, Wood found space in the box and his effort was deflected wide by Lacroix. Eberechi Eze had set up Sarr’s chance and not long afterwards he glided menacingly into the box, forcing Murillo to clear.

Palace were sure they should have had a penalty when Mitchell and Dominguez contested Sarr’s cross at the far post, with Mitchell tumbling over the advancing Sels. After initially waving play on, referee Andy Madley was sent to the monitor and duly awarded the spot-kick. With a hop and a shuffle, Eze beat Sels’ dive and Forest had it all to do.

In front of England boss Thomas Tuchel, Adam Wharton was taken off straight after the penalty, with the midfielder feeling pain in his ankle. 

Forest tried to answer quickly. Henderson did well to claw away Elanga’s free-kick and from the corner, Nuno’s men had the luck they needed. Williams shot from 20 yards, Murillo stuck out a boot and watched the ball fly beyond the helpless Henderson.

With Forest pushing for a winner and Murillo off injured, substitute Eddie Nketiah and Lacroix wasted late chances to nick it for Palace before Eze hit the bar from 20 yards.