Nottingham Forest player ratings as Neco Williams is sent off and 4/10 star struggles

Nottingham Forest player ratings as Neco Williams is sent off and 4/10 star struggles

Nottingham Forest were forced to settle for a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at the City Ground after playing the entire second half with ten men.

The Reds moved six points clear of the relegation zone, having made a bright start that was rewarded when Morgan Gibbs-White fired the hosts into an early lead.

However, Forest’s momentum was halted just before the interval when Neco Williams was sent off for handling the ball on the goal line. Ismaïla Sarr converted the resulting penalty to bring Palace level.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Forest held firm after the break to secure a valuable point. Here are the player ratings from the City Ground, scored out of 10:

Matz Sels – 6
Could do little about Sarr’s penalty shortly before half-time. Appeared to pick up an injury and was replaced at the interval.

Ola Aina – 6
Wasteful in possession at times, giving the ball away in dangerous areas. Failed to find his usual rhythm with Callum Hudson-Odoi.

Nikola Milenković – 7
Handled Palace’s attacking threat well and was rarely troubled in the air throughout the contest.

Murillo – 5
Needs to be more decisive when carrying the ball out from defence. His loss of possession led to the corner that ultimately resulted in Williams’ red card.

Neco Williams – 3
A costly moment on the stroke of half-time, handling Lerma’s header on the line and earning a straight red card. His absence will be keenly felt against Leeds next week.

Ibrahim Sangaré – 6
A composed display from the midfielder, who tried to keep Forest ticking and move the ball forward whenever possible.

Elliot Anderson – 7
Produced a strong showing and looked far more like his best self with Sangaré alongside him in midfield.

Nicolás Domínguez – 6
The unfortunate casualty after Williams’ dismissal. He hadn’t done much wrong, and Forest missed his energy and bite in the second half.

Morgan Gibbs-White – 8
Took his goal superbly and was Forest’s most creative and influential player. One of his standout performances of the season.

Callum Hudson-Odoi – 4
Substituted at half-time after a disappointing display. Never really got going and looked off the pace.

Igor Jesus – 7
Impressed despite limited service, combining well with Gibbs-White in the opening 45 minutes.

Substitutes

Morato – 5
Brought on with mixed emotions among supporters but managed reasonably well, aside from a couple of nervy moments.

Ryan Yates – 6
Added bite and aggression, winning several fouls and causing Palace problems after coming on.

Angus Gunn – 7
Following the pre-match unveiling of Stefan Ortega, Gunn showed confidence when called upon and dealt comfortably with what little came his way.

Dan Ndoye – 6
A lively cameo that offered promise. Needs sharper decision-making in possession, but there were plenty of positives to take.