Crystal Palace midfielder Will Hughes has admitted that he loves scoring against Nottingham Forest. The 28-year-old netted an equaliser for the Eagles in Sunday’s final Premier League game against the Reds at Selhurst Park.
Hughes has been at Palace since 2021 when he signed from Watford. He left Derby for Vicarage Road in 2017 and has established himself as a Premier League player since.
Unlike Derby, Hughes grasps what it takes to establish in the Premier League. Hughes has become a sound addition to the Palace ranks and has made 31 appearances this season.
On Sunday he scored his second goal for the Eagles and his first this season. Perhaps bizarrely he shushed the Forest fans afterwards, despite the fact that the Reds were in party mode throughout.
It wasn’t the first time that Hughes has scored against Forest either. He scored as the Rams beat the Reds 3-0 at Pride Park back in 2016.
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After scoring against Forest at the weekend, he admitted that he loves scoring against the club that he has often viewed as rivals throughout his career.
He told the club’s official website: “I wouldn’t call it a header, I’d call it a shoulder. That’s why I was a bit hesitant as I thought it was a handball but thankfully it flew in, against those lot it means a bit more to me as well.”
Hughes loves scoring against Forest
Hughes hasn’t quite lived up to his potential during his career. Derby fans anticipated he’d go to the very top when he was producing the goods for them, but that’s not happened.
Still, the player is decent and he has made 120 appearances in the Premier League during his career. Hughes’ goal hasn’t really bothered Forest too much though.
A share of the spoils on the final day saw Forest finish with 38 points. Indeed, with Derby languishing in League One, it’s fair to say a player who used to play for Derby scoring against them isn’t a major issue.
Forest will go again next season in the Premier League. With just a year remaining on his current deal, it remains to be seen whether or not Hughes will still be at Palace or whether or not they will cash in.