Glasner seeks Forest win ahead of Palace return
Oliver Glasner believes there are plenty of positives to take from his early Nottingham Forest tenure, but he acknowledged his team is not where it wants to be on the Premier League table ahead of his first match back at Crystal Palace since leaving at the end of last season.
Glasner's two-year spell garnered the Eagles its first major trophy in the FA Cup before he also led the south Lond club to success in the FA Community Shield and UEFA Conference League before deciding to seek a new challenge at the expiration of his contract.
That has taken him to Forest, where he has overseen an indifferent start to the season at the club that helped relegate Palace to the UEFA Conference League from the UEFA Europa League, sparking a new rivalry to add further spice to Monday's (AEDT) match.
Forest is 13th in the Premier League with five points from its first five league matches and entered the extended international break on the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Coventry City, and Glasner wants a response from his players on the road.
"There are many positive signals from the stats; we're very consistent in defence, and we've had the third-most shots," the Austrian said.
"But we could have done better. We need to improve the quality of the shots, where we are shooting from and the number of big chances we're creating.
"This is the potential we have in these encouraging signals, but it is our responsibility to get the results from this.
"It's a Premier League game we want to win. We've shown very good away form this year, and this is what we want to show again."
Palace boss Pierre Sage has also endured a difficult start to life in the Selhurst Park hot seat, with the Eagles signing off for the international break with an impressive 0-0 draw away to in-form Leeds United.
Sage's side is just one point and two places below Forest in the Premier League, with this the first of three huge straight grudge matches for Palace in all competitions.
Forest replaced Palace in last year's UEFA Europa League when the Eagles were expelled owing to a breach of multi-club ownership rules involving John Textor, who was an investor in both Palace and Ligue 1 giant Lyon.
Now back in the UEFA Europa League, Palace faces Lyon after the Forest game, before visiting old rival Brighton and Hove Albion on 19 October (AEDT).
"The two teams are close in the table, close in how they are playing. There is a former manager and player [Daniel Munoz] coming back, which is why [the atmosphere] will be more than normal," Sage said.
"That's why details are important, and the atmosphere is one of those details to deal with in a good way. I hope and expect all the fans will be with us. I know they will be.
"If they can give us one per cent more, it will be better for us. But everybody must remind themselves what happened with this manager.
"They won three titles here for the first time for the club. I have big respect for him, as I have for Daniel Munoz, who also left this summer."
