Oliver Glasner endured a frustrating return to Crystal Palace as his Nottingham Forest side let slip an early lead to lose to the Eagles according to BBC Sport.
After guiding Palace to FA Cup and Conference League success, Glasner left the club at the end of last season and took on the Forest job in the summer.
Initially it looked like it would be a triumphant return to Selhurst Park as Forest took a third-minute lead through Dan Ndoye’s neat low finish. They then dominated much of the first half, with Liam Delap somehow denied a second from point-blank range by Walter Benitez.
Palace were not in the game at all but incredibly turned the tables with two goals just before half time.
Daichi Kamada finished off a nice team move to level four minutes before the break for his first Premier League goal, and Jefferson Lerma headed in a second deep in stoppage time.
It got even better for Palace in the second half when Yeremy Pino slotted into the bottom corner, prompting Eagles fans to tease Glasner with chants aimed at their former manager.
Benitez made another fine save late on to prevent substitute Chris Wood from reducing the deficit and giving Forest some hope of snatching a point.
Palace’s second win of the season moves them up to 12th in the Premier League, while Forest are 14th.
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Palace’s unexpected turnaround
Glasner brought Crystal Palace unprecedented success during his time at the Eagles, leading them to their first major trophy with the FA Cup before adding European glory.
As a result, it will have been tough for their fans to watch him take a seat in the opposition dugout.
For a good 40 minutes of Sunday’s match Palace supporters will have been fearing the worst as Forest – aided by Glasner’s knowledge of their side – appeared to have the measure of the home side.
Forest were in complete control while Palace were defensively a mess and were lucky to survive when Morgan Gibbs-White struck the crossbar and Delap’s shot on the follow up was somehow denied by Walter Benitez.
That moment would prove pivotal as five minutes later Palace were level, and the momentum then swung significantly in their favour.
Having looked like they could have been two or three goals down after 40 minutes, they could have actually won by a bigger margin, with Lerma also seeing a header well saved by Mats Selz.
After losing three of their first five games, another defeat will have increased the pressure on Pierre Sage but instead their display from 41 minutes onwards will provide Palace fans with optimism.
Frustration and controversy for Forest
Forest fans will have left Selhurst Park wondering how it all unravelled for their side, given just how in control they were for the majority of the first half.
They looked sharp and hungry for the ball, as well as capable of scoring with every attack but that almost all disappeared from the moment Palace equalised.
Forest may also feel aggrieved that Palace’s crucial second goal – scored moments before half-time – was allowed to stand.
Initially it looked like a good header by Lerma through the legs of Sels, but replays showed that his effort did graze the elbow of Anan Khalaili.