Crystal Palace FC is initiating a significant security overhaul ahead of their highly anticipated Premier League encounter with Nottingham Forest this weekend, The Daily Mail can reveal.
The move comes amid serious concerns within the club's hierarchy about potential protests from travelling Forest supporters, who remain furious over a series of contentious VAR decisions that marred their recent defeat to Everton.
Selhurst Park officials are understood to be enacting a robust security plan, which includes:
- A substantial increase in the number of stewards deployed around the stadium.
- Enhanced monitoring of fan behaviour, particularly in the away section.
- Close liaison with the Metropolitan Police to ensure a coordinated response.
The core of the discontent stems from Forest's dramatic 2-0 loss at Goodison Park, a match overshadowed by three strong penalty appeals being waved away by the on-field referee and subsequently upheld by VAR official Stuart Attwell.
The club's inflammatory post on the social media platform X, which accused Attwell of being a Luton Town supporter and questioned the integrity of the officiating, has ignited a formal investigation by the Football Association and is widely believed to have galvanised a section of the Forest fanbase.
While the majority of supporters are expected to travel peacefully, Palace's security team is preparing for all eventualities to ensure the safety of all attendees and the smooth running of the crucial fixture. Club sources have indicated that any individuals engaging in disorderly conduct or attempting to invade the pitch will be dealt with swiftly and could face strict sanctions, including lengthy stadium bans.
This preemptive action underscores the growing tension and high stakes in the Premier League's relegation battle, where every point is fiercely contested.
