Sean Dyche Burnley
Nottingham Forest is set to face Crystal Palace in a critical Premier League match on Sunday, with both teams embroiled in a relegation battle. The match, scheduled for a 2 pm kick-off, holds significant implications as only three points separate the two sides. A win for Forest would not only enhance their chances of staying in the top flight but also drag Palace further into the relegation mire.
The rivalry between the two clubs has intensified since Forest replaced Palace in the Europa League, following Palace’s demotion to the Conference League due to multi-club ownership rule violations. However, Sean Dyche, the Forest manager, played down any notion of a derby atmosphere.
Sean Dyche said: “I’ve never heard about it. I don’t think it’s a derby game, that’s for sure. Forest – JOIN US ON FACEBOOK! Get all the Nottingham Forest latest via our Facebook page. That’s nothing to do with me. There are good people I know at Palace. They are a good club, well run, and they had brilliant success last season. They’re in a tough period at the moment but that happens, football’s not easy.”
The match could also see an interesting dynamic in the boardroom, with Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis expected to attend. Meanwhile, there have been ongoing discussions between the clubs regarding the availability of Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta. Forest had expressed interest in the Frenchman, but AC Milan appears to be leading the race for his signature. Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Mateta will not feature in Sunday’s match as he is “not in the right place.”
For Forest, the focus remains on maintaining their positive form in the league and moving away from the relegation zone. Dyche emphasized the importance of performance over external factors.
Dyche said: “We’ve got to perform well, it’s as simple as that. I don’t bother with all that noise because it doesn’t guarantee anything. I’ve been on the other side of that, when it’s not going your way, and I’ve been on the correct side of it – it doesn’t guarantee you anything. The thing you can look to guarantee is your performance. If you get that right, you’ve got every chance of succeeding in a game and winning. We’ve got to get that right. Honestly, I’m not just playing it down, I don’t look at that. I’ve been doing this a long time now in the Premier League and so many times you think you can hit someone when they are having a bit of a low period then, bang, it goes against you. So many times when they’re having a high period you think, oh, this is going to be a tough one, and then you win. There are no guarantees. I think we’re in a good place at the moment. There’s a good group here. We take nothing for granted, so we’ve got to work hard.”
As Nottingham Forest prepares to host Crystal Palace, the stakes are high, and both teams will be eager to secure a crucial three points in their fight against relegation.
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