BRIGHTON host fellow Premier League high-flyers Nottingham Forest in a huge FA Cup quarter-final clash this afternoon.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side thrashed the Seagulls 7-0 when the two sides last met in February.
But Brighton are unbeaten since their drumming at the City Ground, and the Seagulls will be out for revenge as they look to stay on course to claim the first major trophy in their history.
Forest are in a strong position to finish in the Premier League’s top four, but the Tricky Trees will want some silverware to remember such an outstanding season.
- Kick off time: 5.15pm GMT
- TV channel: BBC One
- FREE live stream: BBC iPlayer
- Brighton team: To follow…
- Nottingham Forest team: To follow…
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Forest looking to buck trend
Nottingham Forest do not have a good record at this stage of the competition, something they will want to address today.
In their last three FA Cup quarter-finals, they have been defeated all by a one-nil scoreline.
It is 35 years since Forest progressed to the semi-finals, eventually losing to Tottenham in the final.
Seagulls continue to Bloom
For any newly promoted side to the Premier League, they would do well to look at Brighton as a model to emulate.
Owner Tony Bloom backs the managers financially to improve their squad with young talent.
Every player has their price but The Seagulls never seem to sell any of their players for less than their true value.
That is then reinvested in the squad and they are starting to reap the rewards.
The icing on the cake for Brighton would be to bring some silverware to the Amex Stadium in the process.
Credit: Getty Blow for Forest in FA Cup
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will go into this game without prolific striker Chris Wood this afternoon.
The striker picked up a hip injury on international duty for New Zealand in the recent international break.
It will be interesting to see how that disrupts the machine that is Nottingham Forest on the south coast but it does offer the chance for Taiwo Awoniyi to impress the manager.
Brighton vs Nott’m Forest
Now we move onto the second semi-final of the day.
Two form teams meet each other at the Amex Stadium.
The Seagulls will be looking for revenge for their 7-0 drubbing at the hands of Forest earlier in the season.
Cottagers left wondering what could have been
The spring sunshine was beating down in West London and everything looked set up for a memorable afternoon.
Fulham dominated the early stages of the game and Craven Cottage was bouncing.
However, they could not carve out any clear-cut chances to break the deadlock against Crystal Palace.
This one will hurt The Cottagers, Marco Silva has some job to pick his players up as they turn their attentions back to Premier League duties.
Credit: Reuters Credit: AFP Eagles soar in FA Cup
While talk of silverware was deflected by the players and manager, Crystal Palace fans are dreaming of what could be a special season.
They knew it would be a tough challege against Fulham in West London but having secured an emphatic victory, Wembley now awaits.
If Oliver Glasner is able to bring a trophy to Selhurst Park, he can probably expect a statue of him to be erected soon after.
Credit: Alamy Credit: Getty Palace wing it in West London
What a week it has been for Eberechi Eze.
Scoring his first England goal in midweek against Latvia, he carried that form into the FA Cup this afternoon as Fulham were put to the sword.
Constantly linked with moves to bigger clubs, the winger really showed how integral he is to this Eagles side at Craven Cottage.
Credit: AFP View from SunSport’s Jordan Davies at Craven Cottage
Fulham look dejected, but the Palace players are fist-pumping the away end, and don’t look like stopping any time soon.
Marco Silva will be desperately disappointed. For all their dominance, they barely laid a glove on Palace, who will revel in the one of the most smash-and-grab 3-0 results you will see in a long while.
Wembley awaits the soaring Eagles…
Boss plays down Eze factor
Speaking with ITV Sport after the match, The Eagles’ manager gave his thoughts on their victory:
Key number one was to survive the first fiteen minutes. We were rusty and the structure was not good due to the international break. It was so important the first goal as we got the belief back. When you are struggling in a game, you need these actions. It was a great team effort which is what I told the guys in the dressing room. We can achieve a lot.
Oliver Glasner
Munoz asks questions of Cottagers
While Crystal Palace had plenty of defending to do in the early stages of this game, when they had the chance to counter, their full-backs supported the attacks.
Munoz spent the match working up and down the flanks, dragging Fulham’s players out of position.
This then allows the likes of Sarr, Mateta and Eze to exploit the gaps in the hosts’ defence.
Eze does it at Craven Cottage
Match-winner Eberechi Eze spoke with ITV Sport about their win over Fulham in the FA Cup quarter-finals:
Yes it was an important goal, happy to help the team, this is what am here to do. It was no a good start from us. This is where I want to get the ball to run at defenders. When you get the chance, you need to take it and that is what we have done today. We’re confident in ourselves, we know what we are capable of.
Eberechi Eze
FT: Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
Mikel Arteta take note of this one, The Eagles have shown how you get nothing for dominating possession in the modern game without any penetration.
A classic away performance from Oliver Glasner’s side.
They are heading to Wembley for a big day out.
FT: Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
The referee brings the game to a close at Craven Cottage.
Crystal Palace are heading into the semi-finals.
A superb performance from The Eagles in West London.
Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
90+2. These Palace fans are going to enjoy their short trips back to the other side of London after this one.
All eyes will be on that semi-final draw tomorrow for The Eagles.
A lot of teams would like to see Bournemouth dump Man City out of the cup tomorrow to improve their chances of silverware.
Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
90. Clyne is shown a yellow card for a poorly-timed challenge.
For all their possession today, Fulham really have not tested Henderson enough in the visitors’ goal.
We are going to have three minutes of added time.
Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
88. Munoz and Sarr are replaced for the visitors.
Devenny and Clyne come on for Glasner’s side.
It would take a dramatic comeback for Fulham to keep their hopes alive in the FA Cup now.
Silva’s side have been well and truly dealt with by Palace today.
Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
86. Munoz counters and Palace have numbers forward.
He ends up dribbling the ball into danger as he is crowded out by three Fulham players.
Had he looked up and played the early pass, the visitors could have grabbed another goal there.
Credit: Getty Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
84. This has been the perfect away performance from Palace.
They absorbed all Fulham had to throw at them and were clinical when a chance presented itself.
It has been a comfortable win for The Eagles on paper this afternoon.
Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
82. This could be a massive springboard for Palace’s season.
They have been one of the form teams in the Premier League in 2025.
Only Liverpool and Arsenal have taken more points than them.
Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
80. The Eagles’ fans are enjoying their afternoon now.
They continue to sing ‘we’re going to Wembley’.
It has been some time since Crystal Palace played in a FA Cup semi-final.
Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
78. Earlier in the season there was relegation talk at Selhurst Park.
What a job Oliver Glasner has done to turn that around.
Now they are dreaming of European qualification and a trip to Wembley.
Fulham 0-3 Crystal Palace
76. The ball is rolled in behind the Fulham defence.
Nketiah runs onto it and slots it past Leno.
Game, set and match for The Eagles.
This may well be the worst Saturday afternoon in West London since news broke that the Gucci store was closing.
Credit: AFP Goal – Eddie Nketiah (Crystal Palace)
Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace
74. Lerma is fouled in the middle of the park.
He takes the opportunity to roll around and make it seem worse than it is so he can run the clock down.
Lacroix is then shown a card for time-wasting in taking the set-piece.
Fulham 0-2 Crystal Palace
72. Time is starting to run out for the hosts.
For The Eagles, it is just a matter of defending what they have now.
That said, if they get the chance to counter, another goal really puts this game to bed.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
