Forest (on) fire

Knowing that a 6-0 win over QPR tonight would send them above us to the top of the league, Nottingham Forest came perilously close to achieving the improbable. The hapless West Londoners - already onto their third manager of the season and now, of course, stripped of the services of Wayne Routledge - were spanked 5-0 at the City Ground. Forest had six efforts on target - that's the kind of clinical finishing that we've noticed is a rarity in this division. And who should have got the fifth goal but recent Toon target James Perch, back in the starting line-up for the home side.

The Tricky Trees weren't the only team among our promotion rivals to enjoy a handsome win, two goals from Agent Chopra helping Cardiff to a 6-0 humiliation of Bristol City. At least the Baggies were held at Ipswich, only avoiding defeat thanks to an injury-time goal.

So we go into tomorrow night's game still top, that psychological fillip denied to Forest, and with the added bonus that the team we're playing are in turmoil, having entered administration and now, thanks to the automatic ten point deduction, facing a relegation battle rather than a tentative push for the play-offs. Nothing against Crystal Palace, but as for Neil Warnock and Simon Jordan - couldn't happen to two nicer fellas.