Chris Wood heaped more misery on a blunt Crystal Palace with the decisive goal in a scrappy 1-0 victory at the City Ground.

Despite Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah’s best efforts – both hitting the woodwork – Oliver Glasner’s side were unable to unlock Forest’s stubborn backline, and have now picked up three points from their opening eight matches.

They are one of four Premier League teams – alongside Ipswich, Southampton and Wolves – yet to find a winning formula this season.

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Chris Wood opens the scoring for Nottingham Forest!

Team news:

Nuno Espirito Santo was forced to bring Nicolas Dominguez and Anthony Elanga in for suspended duo Morgan Gibbs-White and James Ward-Prowse.
Adam Wharton dropped to the bench for the first time this season in place of Will Hughes as Oliver Glasner attempted to end a seven-game winless run.

Eventual scorer Wood missed a hat-trick of chances before unleashing the winner, responsible for nearly all of Forest’s first-half xG value (1.15), going closest when connecting with Elliot Anderson’s teasing cross.

Dean Henderson will be disappointed not to have kept out Chris Wood's effort on his return to the City Ground — Image: Dean Henderson was at fault for allowing Chris Wood’s strike from distance to squirm beneath him

Ryan Yates hit the post from a looping header at one end, while Nketiah struck the frame of Matz Sels’ goal with a long-ranger at the other, but clear-cut chances continued to be at a premium.

A similar pattern continued after the break until Eze drew a wonderful fingertip save from Sels at full stretch, before Wood finally made persistence pay, his strike squeezing beyond a blundering Dean Henderson after a woeful defensive header from Trevoh Chalobah.

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Matz Sels denies Eberechi Eze!

Forest win their first home game of the campaign as a result, with in-form Wood scoring seven of his side’s last 10 league goals and five of their eight this season.

“I was just trying to hit the target, I had a few chances in the first half that didn’t go my way,” Wood said of his goal. “It is important we keep looking forward.”

Palace, meanwhile, remain the lowest scorers in the division having only found the net five times – an average of 0.6 per 90.

“At the moment nothing’s going for us. We’re creating chances but any slight mistake gets punished,” said captain Marc Guehi.

Player ratings: Wood shining

Nottingham Forest: Sels (9), Aina (7), Milenkovic (8), Murillo (7), Moreno (6), Yates (7), Dominguez (6), Elanga (6), Anderson (8), Hudson-Odoi (6), Wood (9).

Subs: Silva (7), Morato (6), Williams (6), Awoniyi (n/a), Sosa (n/a).

Crystal Palace: Henderson (5), Guehi (6), Lacroix (6), Chalobah (5), Mitchell (6), Lerma (6), Hughes (6), Munoz (6), Kamada (5), Eze (6), Nketiah (6).

Subs: Mateta (5), Sarr (5), Schlupp (6), Agbinone (n/a).

Player of the Match: Chris Wood

Carra: Palace will be getting nervous

Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher speaking on MNF:

“Crystal Palace need to target home games as opportunities to get the results.

“Liverpool went there a few weeks ago and were hanging on a bit. It can be a difficult place for opposition teams to go. They have to make Selhurst Park a fortress.

“It is getting to the stage where they need to start picking up points. It is still early days but they will start to be getting a little bit nervous.”