The Premier League returned with a bang. We saw red cards, penalties, comebacks, and last-minute winners. The drama was unparalleled. And while I would love to go through each match in detail, I think it would take a little too long and you might get bored. Instead, let's just have a look at the scores:

The football just keeps coming, doesn't it? I love being a reporter this time of year, every day seems to be a matchday in some regard. We have already been treated to a belting weekend of Premier League action, and tonight is the cherry on top. Nuno Espirito Santo's high-flying Nottingham Forest hosts a struggling Crystal Palace.

On their day, these are two teams that can serve up a cracker. Let's hope they are both on it tonight, eh? Let's get the ball rolling!

Crystal Palace's recent record against Nottingham Forest is pretty pants, in truth. That may be blunt, but it's true. The Eagles have failed to beat Forest in their last seven league fixtures against them. However, five of those were draws. These two sides absolutely love sharing the points. They are practically friends at this point. Hopefully, there is a bit more needle in this match tonight.

I'll be the first to admit, I did not expect just how good Nottingham Forest would be under Nuno Espirito Santo. They have been utterly superb under the Portuguese manager so far this season, their recent rise has been so impressive. Prior to this weekend, they were sitting pretty in 10th place. Not bad after the last two seasons they've had, right?

While I heap praise on them, we are only seven games in... Tonight they have the chance to leap back above Manchester United with a victory over Crystal Palace. Based on how differently the two teams have started this season, you'd expect Forest to be favourites to win this one. But football isn't played on paper (I love that saying). We know Palace won't continue to be poor forever, so Forest will have to be at their best tonight to pick up the points. Will they continue their fine form? I guess we will have to wait and see.

I am not going to beat around the bush, Crystal Palace are in desperate need of some points. For a team of their quality, there is no way that they should be fighting around the bottom. Well, they are...

Palace are yet to win a league game this season and have just three points to their name. In reality, that needs to change tonight. It's not going to be easy, Nottingham Forest are a tough team to break down - just ask Liverpool. But If Palace are handed another loss today, fans will start to get restless. I would never have thought I'd be writing that sentence at the start of the season. Their campaign truly starts this evening.

I'm interested to see the midfield Nuno Espirito Santo picks today. He is without his trusted workhorse in the middle, Morgan Gibbs-White, due to an injury he picked up before the international break. Gibbs-White is a huge miss, he is so pivotal to how they play.

To make matters worse for the hosts, they will also be without James Ward-Prowse today. Why, you ask? Well, he was sent off against Chelsea in one of the strangest ways I have ever seen in the Premier League. He stopped a counter-attack with his hands. I know, it's not something you see every game. So, who will be in the middle of the park instead of these two? We will find out in just a few moments...

Nuno Espirito Santo has given us an answer to our question. Nicolas Dominguez, Elliot Anderson, and Ryan Yates are the trio that will play in midfield. Callum Hudson-Odoi keeps his place while Anthony Elanga comes back into the starting line-up. Matz Sels is also fit enough to start in goal.

Well then, Adam Wharton is being rested on the bench. There has been a lot of talk about him and his groin injury, but he is still involved in the squad. Will Hughes comes in to take his place while Daichi Kamada is also into the starting 11. Eddie Nketiah leads the line.

There will be no Nuno Espirito Sancho in the dugout tonight. Why? It's because he has been handed a three-match ban for his behaviour in a 2-2 draw with Brighton last month. He was also handed a fine of £55,000 while owner Evangelos Marinakis has also been hit with a five-match stadium ban. Will Nuno's absence from the touchline inhibit Nottingham Forest?

Tonight's match could have a real impact on the battle at the bottom. Crystal Palace currently lie in the bottom three, which is surprising, I know. If they win tonight, though, they will leap above Premier League newcomers Ipswich Town. That's because the Tractor Boys fell to defeat yet again this weekend against Everton, while bottom side Wolves also lost. The real losers of this weekend, though, were Southampton. It's already been a tough season for them so far and it only got worse when they spurned a 2-0 lead to Leicester. It was made even more heartbreaking by the fact they lost to a 98th-minute winner. The Saints are in the doldrums...

Tonight, the duo of Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville will be broken up on Sky Sports' Monday Night Football. But there is no need to worry for all you MNF lovers out there, they have a special guest instead. Neville will be replaced by Aaron Ramsey for one night only. I am sure the former Arsenal and Juventus star will have a lot to say about his career. I will relay all the best bits on here, don't you worry... I'm looking forward to what he has to say, I'm sure he will be talking a lot about the Gunners' slip-up on Saturday night. So any Gunners fans on the blog, those may be the posts you want to look away.

Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace boss, on Sky Sports:

If Crystal Palace lose tonight, questions will certainly be thrown Oliver Glasner's way. The club have had far from the start he would have been hoping for, but they are not at panic stations just yet. That could change, though. Glasner has credit in the bank due to the way Palace ended last season - they were the in-form team in the league. However, that credit is slowly ebbing away. In fact, our friends at SportsCasting believe he could be sacked according to their AI system. They have predicted that he would be taken over by West Brom's Carlos Coberan, which would be a great appointment. For now, Glasner is the man calling the shots.

Aaron Ramsey, Cardiff City midfielder, speaking on Sky Sports:

I told you Ramsey would chat about Arsenal - he doesn't seem too worried about his former team.

My answer to my own question is no. We now know why Adam Wharton has been in such poor form this season after being so brilliant last. He has been struggling with a groin problem since Euro 2024 and is in need of surgery. For some reason, he is carrying on and not taking it. I'm really not sure why, in all honesty. He is once again in the squad tonight, and it looks like he will be for the foreseeable future. Do you think he should sort the problem, or battle through the pain?

I have a good omen for Crystal Palace, who'd have thought it? While Nottingham Forest have been superb this season, they haven't been the best at home. The Reds are yet to win any of their home matches in the Premier League this campaign. In fact, are without a win in six league matches at the City Ground. Can they end that run today?

Chris Wood has had one hell of a career resurgence at Nottingham Forest. When he signed for the club, I was unsure about the move, I have to be honest. Boy has he proved me wrong... Wood has scored 15 goals in 23 Premier League appearances since Nuno Espirito Santo’s appointment. Only Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer, and Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta have more in that time. Can he add to that tonight?

Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, on Sky Sports:

These warm-up photos prove that we are now heading toward the winter period. Gloves on, long sleeves, tracksuit bottoms. Players are desperate to stay warm before the match. I mean, it's fair. Nottingham is a little bit chilly tonight.

Jamie Carragher, former Liverpool defender, on Sky Sports:

It's been the same old problems for Crystal Palace, so far. Their team is like if a top-quality knife was blunt. They look good but are just ineffective. They came close through a stunning strike from Eddie Nketiah, but bar that they have lacked any cutting edge. I think this could be a night for Jean-Philippe Mateta...

Thank you Crystal Palace for the reminder! I probably shouldn't be honest, but I will be, I completely forgot that Dean Henderson once played for Nottingham Forest. It's poor I know. Especially because he was brilliant in his one season on loan at the Reds. It was the club's first season back in the Premier League - the 2022-23 campaign - and he was pivotal in keeping Forest up. Must be an odd feeling to be back.

The atmosphere in the City Ground is getting me pumped up! The speakers play Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N' Roses as the two teams come out of the tunnel. Sadly, it's then stopped for the premier League anthem to take place - it just ruins the mood. The fans agree as they boo as loud as they can. I don't think it's because they don't like the tune, though. You never know, I could be wrong.

The Nottingham Forest fans are really up for this one, my word. the Mull of Kintyre comes on as the team's huddle before kick-off and I can barely hear myself think. There is then a huge roar as proceedings get underway. It is buzzing at the City Ground. A proper atmosphere.

The Atmosphere is certainly the best bit about this game, so far. Crystal Palace are having most of the ball, but they are just happy to be patient in these early stages. It's exactly how I thought it would start.

OK, Eberechi Eze is up for this one!

The Crystal Palace man has not been at his best this season but he nearly just netted an absolute scorcher. He is given space to run at The Nottingham Forest defence and then releases a ferocious effort toward the top corner. It's a brilliant strike but it flies just wide.

We have an early yellow card. If I was a betting man I would have guessed Jefferson Lerma would be the first player to be booked. And well, he is. The Palace man hauls down Ola Aina and that's an easy decision for the referee to make.

Crystal Palace are looking the brighter of the two sides at the moment. Every chance they get they try to counter Nottingham Forest and the latest foray forward ends in Daichi Kamada going for goal. It's a pants shot, though, and Matz Sels collects.

Oh, that's a big waste from Callum Hudson-Odoi...

The winger battles his way into the box and has three team-mates steaming into the area with him. But his pass is poor and it goes behind Ryan Yates, who can't make anything of it. He has to do better there.

Now It's Eddie Nketiah's turn to have a pop at goal.

It's a decent effort but it was never going to trouble Matz Sels in goal. This game is starting to get a little bit more lively now, finally.

My word, what did Elliot Anderson have for breakfast this morning?

The midfielder waltzes his way through the Crystal Palace team with ease before giving the ball to Callum Hudson-Odoi. He then gets the ball back, beats some more players, but then sees his strike saved. I want what ever he has been eating!

Nottingham Forest have really found their groove now.

The ball is whipped into Chris Wood who is charging into the box unmarked. You just expect the net to bulge based on his recent run of form, but nope, his header is pretty poor. It's like his head was a 50p piece as the ball goes well wide.

Where did that come from, Eddie Nketiah?

The Crystal Palace forward is in some space and just decides to have a crack - what a crack it is! He lets fly of a stinging effort that clips the outside of the post. For a second, I thought it was heading in. Nketiah puts his hands to his head, he can't believe it.

How has that not gone in?

Nottingham Forest come within inches of taking the lead as Ryan Yates sees his header hit the post. It looked destined for the net as it headed for the far corner, but Yates just has no luck. As I type that, he is now being treated for a knock...

Eberechi Eze is not happy with Eddie Nketiah...

The Midfielder screams for the ball as the forward breaks into the area, he is at the back post lurking. Instead, Nketiah goes for goal with a tame effort instead of passing. It was definitely the wrong decision.

Eddie Nketiah is desperate for a gaol tonight, it's easy to see.

He has just had another sighter for the visitors, he just can't find the back of the net. I mean, you are never going to score with efforts like that.

How has Daniel Munoz gotten away with that one then?

He has just clattered into Callum Hudson-Odoi but somehow avoided a booking. I thought he was certain to get a yellow!

The flow of efforts has slowed down a little now.

It's more of a bitty game and fouls are sadly becoming more frequent, the flow of the game is disrupted. I really hope we don't have a 0-0 on our hands here... I hate those.

My colleague told me this was a nailed-on stalemate and I laughed in his face.

Well, I think he might actually be right based on the evidence of the last few minutes.

The best thing I can report from this game at this point in time is that half-time is approaching.

The lack of quality from both sides is there for all to see, it's even taking Crystal Palace a minute to take a free-kick. Come on, sort it out!

I have some action to report, hooray!

It's not what Crystal Palace will like though, Daichi Kamada has been booked. He hauls down Ola Aina as the Nottingham Forest man actually tries to do something exciting.

We have had our first shot on goal for around 20 minutes. Yep, that's how bad this game has been. Eberechi Eze has a pop but his shot is blocked before Nottingham Forest win a foul. It's been that kind of half.

There will be just two minutes of stoppage time. For all of our sakes, I hope these seconds go faster than ever before, even though it's not possible.

Look, that half may have been disappointing, but there was one bright spark in it.

Elliot Anderson has been superb. His crossing has been excellent and it feels like no Crystal Place player can get a foot in when he runs at them. Newcastle fans must be tearing their hair out knowing their club let him go. A talented player.

Oh dear...

Nottingham Forest fans will not be happy with this post, Callum Hudson-Odoi has been spotted limping. It comes after he got into a tussle with Maxence Lacroix at the end of the half. Nuno Espirito Santo will be hoping it's something he can shake off.

Half-time viewing:

David James turned into the villain as he saved TWO penalties from a young fan at half-time yesterday 😮🧤 pic.twitter.com/9j33DQk5FX

Half-time reading:

A brilliant first half an hour. An abysmal last 15 minutes. But the game is finely poised and all to play for.

45+2 min: Chance for Wood! Anderson has already supplied his striker with one beaut of a cross, and here he pings in another to Wood, who stretches but just can’t quite apply the finish. Rather than volleying the cross into the net on the stretch, he sort of controls it expertly and Henderson stoops to collect it easily.

45 min: Two minutes added on. Eze and Chalobah try their luck but Forest’s defender throw themselves in front of the shots.

43 min: It is Palace that are finishing this half the stronger, although the vistors are lacking some width.

41 min: Yellow card for Kamada, who drags back Aina.

One of my favourite current stats is that Kamada has only ever played for clubs (or his country Japan) that have a bird as their crest/badge:

Sagan Tosu, Eintracht Frankfurt, Sint-Truidense VV, Lazio and Palace.

38 min: Suddenly the game is crying out for half-time.

“Maybe panic mega silly spending is actually the way to go because Forest have somehow managed to chisel a decent team with a decent manager out of that chaos,” emails Edan Tal. “I always thought keeping the team that got promoted would be a good idea, but I’m leaning more towards total reinvention now.”

35 min: The game has lost some of its fluency. A few fouls and misplaced passes.

32 min: A third of the game gone. Forest have shaded it, but Eze and Nketiah have shown enough to worry the home side.

29 min: What a player Murillo is at centre back for Forest. Reads the game beautifully, pacy, strong and has a wicked eye for a pass. There have already been four of five moments in this game that could end up in a YouTube video entitled ‘Murillo: Nottingham Forest 2024-25 highlights | HD’.

27 min: “Re The Geordie Maradona,” emails Richard Woods of Elliot Anderson, “we saw a whole lot of that kind of dribbling at the Mem while Billy Elliott was on loan to the Gas [Bristol Rovers]. Can you imagine the fun League Two defenders had trying to deal with him? They say you should never fall in love with a loan player. But he truly was hard not to love”.

I wasn’t aware of that loan spell, but I can see a decent return of eight goals in 21 appearances for Anderson, back in 2022 when he was just a teenager.

25 min: Nketiah wriggles free on the left but rather snatches at a shot from a narrow angle. The former Arsenal man is obviously desperate to score his first Premier League goal for Palace.

23 min: Looks like Yates fell awkwardly in climbing to head that ball. But the fan favourite is back on his feet, to the cheers of the home supporters. He’ll be OK to continue.

22 min: What a game this is! Now it’s Forest who hit the post! From a corner, the ball is cleared before being hopefully lumped back into Palace’s area. Yates rises highest at the back post and heads towards goal. The ball bounces awkwardly in front of Henderson and hits the far post, before Mitchell clears for Palace! That could easily have gone in.

19 min: Back come Palace on the counter attack. Similarly to Eze in the opening minutes, Nketiah finds a pocket of space between Forest’s midfield and defence and drives forward unchallenged. Nketiah has options left and right but surprisingly lets fly, catching Sels cold. The shot curls away wickedly from the Forest keeper and just clips the outside of the post. So close!

17 min: Two huge chances for Chris Wood! The striker is first denied from a corner at the back post by a last-ditch goalline clearance, and hacked clear by Munoz. The ball is recycled, Anderson picking the ball up in plenty of space, and he delivers a Beckham-esque deep cross on a dime for Wood, who heads wide. Oooooh, you’d expect him to put that away, but the New Zealander mistimed his diving header.

15 min: Anderson with some quick feet that would make Di Maria blush! The former Newcastle man twice dances through Palace tackles, the latter expertly past Munoz and Hughes, before forcing Henderson into a save. Wow, genuinely haven’t seen dribbling like that in a while.

13 min: Of course, just as I say that, Hudson-Odoi breaks a tackle, gets to the byline but his cut back to Yates was just behind the midfielder, and the move fizzles out. Hudson-Odoi may have been offside, but that was better from Forest.

12 min: First real spell of possession for Forest, who haven’t created anything of note.

9min: Kamada is the next to try his luck from range, but the Japanese loses his balance as he strikes it, and it’s a tame effort. Yates and Dominguez, the two sitting Forest midfielders are struggling to get to grips with Palace’s two attacking creators, Eze and Kamada.

6 min: An early booking for Lerma, who dragged back Elanga. That is a frustrating yellow card for the combative Palace midfielder, who will now have to watch his step.

5 min: Close from Eze! The England international cuts in from the right flank and drives straight at goal. Milenkovic retreats all the way to his 18-yard box without putting a glove on the Palace man, who shifts the ball and shoots just wide of the top corner! Oooooo, that was close. Sels was rooted to the spot and must have breathed a sigh of relief to see it fly just past the upright.

2 min: Aina at right back is a tidy little player for Forest. He’s lightning quick, too, and has to deal with the dual threat of Kamada as a floating playmaker just inside him and Mitchell, who will be looking to push up from left wing-back.

Peeeeeeep! And we’re off. Forest in their famous red and white, Palace in an all-yellow number.

The teams are out! Interesting to see what sort of reception Dean Henderson gets tonight in goal. He had a loan spell at Forest a couple of seasons ago.

Hendo in familiar surroundings 🧤#CPFC // #NFOCRY pic.twitter.com/Ou2H0Te7Td

Forest look like they are lining up in a 4-2-3-1. It will be interesting to see who fills in for Gibbs-White in the No 10 role. Both Anderson (acting as a sort of all-action Scott McTominay-style playmaker) and Dominguez are capable of playing there.

Nuno speaks:

We are missing some players but the squad is ready to go. Palace are a tough team. I don’t see any positives in being up in the stands [for this game]. I’ll be communicating with my staff.

Interesting to see Nketiah start ahead of Mateta, who was on fire for Palace at the back end of last season and one of the players of the tournament at the Olympics for France in the summer, but already looks fatigued … and it’s October. Nketiah has often (and perhaps a little surprisingly) been deployed as a wide forward but gets his chance in the centre tonight.

Forest have a physically strong duo in Milenkovic and Murillo, who would have been expecting a battle with Mateta. Nketiah will hope to drop deep, drag Milenkovic and Murillo out of position, and then find some space in the box to finish instinctively.

Nottingham Forest: Sels, Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Alex Moreno, Yates, Dominguez, Elanga, Anderson, Hudson-Odoi, Wood. Subs: Boly, Sosa, Jota Silva, Toffolo, Omobamidele, Awoniyi, Williams, Morato, Carlos Miguel.

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Lacroix, Guehi, Chalobah, Munoz, Hughes, Lerma, Mitchell, Kamada, Eze, Nketiah. Subs: Matthews, Ward, Sarr, Mateta, Schlupp, Clyne, Wharton, Kporha, Agbinone.

We are seven games into the season and still nobody is any of the wiser as to what these teams are, or where they will finish. Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace could feasibly both finish in the top half come May 2025, or could easily be relegated and most people would just shrug and think ‘yep, makes sense’.

Palace finished last season like a train under Oliver Glasner, with Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, Adam Wharton all starring under the Austrian manager. But this time around, Olise is departed, Eze is woefully out of form and Wharton, struggling with a groin injury picked up over the summer at the Euros, has yet to find the form or fitness that saw him included on the latest ‘Golden Boy’ list. New signings Maxence Lacroix and Eddie Nketiah are talented but have so far failed to fill the voids left by Joachim Andersen and (whisper it) Jordan Ayew. But the truth is that Glasner, along with the rest of us, are still trying to figure out what is going wrong.

Forest are another conundrum. Very mediocre home form and excellent away form (four matches that include a win at Anfield and Southampton and draws at Chelsea and Brighton) mean Nuno Espírito Santo’s side could spring into eighth with a victory tonight.

Any win will be without their talisman, Morgan Gibbs-White (who is suspended for his red card against Brighton), manager Nuno (who is serving the first of a three-match suspension for his reaction to that red card) and a stadium ban for owner Evangelos Marinakis (who was found guilty of improper conduct following Forest’s defeat against Fulham in September).

That said, the City Ground under the lights always fun, especially with Big Chris Wood leading the line. Vibes are high in the east Midlands. Do join me for the 8pm BST kick-off. I have absolutely no idea what is going to happen.