Nottingham Forest`s recent dip in form continues, yet their aspirations for Champions League football remain within reach, albeit precariously.
Back in April, Nuno Espirito Santo`s side sat third, a comfortable 10 points ahead of sixth place, fueling dreams of hosting Europe`s elite at the City Ground.
Eberechi Eze opened the scoring from the penalty spot.
Murillo scored Forest`s equalizer.
However, securing only a point away at Crystal Palace last night means Forest have managed just one victory in their last five Premier League fixtures. Murillo`s deflected strike in the 64th minute cancelled out Eberechi Eze`s penalty, awarded after a VAR review on the hour mark.
Forest are now sixth, trailing fifth-placed Chelsea and fourth-placed Newcastle by two points with just three matches left to play.
The crucial final matchday encounter against Chelsea means Forest`s destiny is still in their hands, provided they achieve perfect results in their preceding games: home against relegated Leicester and away at West Ham.
Adding to the tension is Chelsea`s visit to St James` Park this weekend.
Ultimately, Forest finds themselves in this challenging situation due to their own slip-ups.
Oliver Glasner`s Palace team, set to appear in the FA Cup final later this month, are now just four points away from their highest-ever Premier League points tally. They could have been closer thanks to an impressive performance from Eze, fresh from winning £15,000 in an online chess tournament last week.
But the narrative of the match largely centered on Forest and their tendency to complicate things for themselves.
Nuno made tactical adjustments following the 2-0 home loss to Brentford on Thursday, dropping Ryan Yates and giving Ibrahim Sangare, who has struggled with injuries, his first Premier League start since August.
Callum Hudson-Odoi`s hamstring issue forced another change, pushing Elliot Anderson wide and bringing Nicolas Dominguez into the lineup.
Palace started with the same team that comprehensively beat Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley last month, and the atmosphere at Selhurst Park aimed to mirror that occasion.
From the outset, Forest`s nerves seemed to hinder their play, and the hosts sensed their fear and hesitation. A series of corners put sustained pressure on Forest`s box, leaving Nuno`s team struggling.
The FA Cup finalists appeared relaxed, perhaps overly so, as Tyrick Mitchell nearly headed into his own net from a long ball, saved only by a remarkable reaction stop from Dean Henderson.
With a potential European spot on the line, Forest looked notably subdued. Palace also lacked some intensity and quality, but they had a valid reason, keeping one eye on their upcoming Wembley final.
Despite needing a win, Forest played cautiously, seemingly more afraid of losing than driven to secure three points.
Palace injected some life into the game in the 34th minute when Sarr connected with Mitchell`s looping cross at the back post, forcing Matz Sels to make his first save.
A VAR check could have added more drama when Chris Wood went down in the box under contact from Daniel Munoz five minutes before halftime, but a brief review upheld referee Andy Madley`s decision to play on.
Nuno`s halftime team talk would have been significantly different had Anthony Elanga finished a superb counter-attacking move involving Dominguez and Wood instead of shooting directly at Henderson – a classic example of Forest`s fast transition play.
Not known for displays of anger, Nuno needed his side to show aggression and determination in the second half, searching for a goal worthy of Champions League aspirations.
Wood had another opportunity from a counter-attack in the 50th minute, controlling the ball well in the box, but his effort deflected just wide off Maxence Lacroix`s leg.
Nuno sank to his knees, understanding the magnitude of the missed chance, especially after Sels had made a critical save from Sarr at the other end just moments before.
The match drama continued. Sarr delivered an excellent cross to Mitchell in the six-yard box, where the Palace full-back was brought down, first by Dominguez and then by Sels.
Madley initially waved play on, but a VAR review was inevitable. The monitor confirmed Forest`s fears: Sels was booked, and Eze prepared to take the penalty.
Eze`s finish was powerful and confident, marking his tenth goal across all competitions. His distinctive stop-start run-up prompted protests from Forest players towards Madley, seemingly born more out of frustration than a valid complaint.
Forest responded swiftly, equalizing with a large dose of fortune. Nico Williams` driven shot from distance took a significant deflection off Murillo`s leg and found the back of the net.
Palace pressed forward in the final moments as Forest dropped deeper to defend their point.
Maxence Lacroix headed narrowly over the bar. Eze curled a shot onto the crossbar from 25 yards, and Eddie Nketiah had a goal disallowed for offside in injury time, pushing Nuno`s nerves to their limit.
Forest`s European dream is still alive, but there is absolutely no room for further mistakes.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace is now just four points away from achieving their highest-ever Premier League points total of 50.
