Crystal Palace's Ismaila Sarr celebrates with teammates after scoring their second goal during their FA Cup quarter-final against Fulham at Craven Cottage in Fulham, west London on Saturday.
Image: Henry Nicholls/AFP
Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest booked their place in the FA Cup semi-final with contrasting results at the weekend.
Palace saw off London rivals Fulham 3-0 at Craven Cottage, while Forest once again needed penalties to account for Brighton & Hove Albion after a goalless draw.
Their deep Cup run is the continuation of a season where both clubs have punched above their weight. Nuno Espirito Santo's Forest are clinging doggedly to third place in the league table on 54 points, four behind Arsenal in second.
They have won 16 of their 29 games so far, including the notable scalps of defending champions Manchester City and runaway league leaders Liverpool. Europe is a realistic goal next season, barring a dramatic late collapse.
Palace are also on a fine recent run of form. Saturday's humbling of high-flying Fulham away was the sixth win in a row in league and Cup for Oliver Glasner's team. Star attacker Eberechi Eze was once again the architect of the victory for Palace.
His brilliant curled effort from outside the box broke the shackles for Palace. He also set up Palace's second for Ismaila Sarr with a delightful cross. Eddie Nketiah stepped off the bench to wrap up the victory.
"We're confident in ourselves and we know what we can do, we know what we are capable of,” Eze told ITV after the game. “It's games like today where you show the mentality which will get you further in the tournament."
Palace fans will be confident that their talisman can take them all the way to their first major trophy should he continue his recent form for club and country.
Forest needed three penalty shootouts to reach the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1990/91. Considering the brilliant domestic season, few would begrudge them the luck that has taken them to Wembley.
“We are so happy, so so happy,” head coach Nuno said.
“Now we have to focus on the Premier League, but it’s going to be a beautiful moment for all of us (going to Wembley Stadium), for our journey.
“Let’s focus on the Premier League now, but definitely it’s been a remarkable season.”
It would be more remarkable if crowned with an FA Cup triumph. But Aston Villa, who saw off Preston with a 3-0 win on Sunday will have a say.
Manchester City, the last of the traditional heavyweights of the English game left in the competition, will also be looking to atone for a dismal campaign by their lofty standards.
Pep Guardiola's side fought back to beat plucky Bournemouth 2-1 in the last of the weekend's ties at the Vitality Stadium. Goals from Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush cancelled out an Evanilson strike for the home side. City set up a semi-final date against Forest, with Villa and Palace set to square off in the other semi-final.