Nottingham Forest finally had a helping hand from VAR to claim a victory that ensures they will not be bottom of the Premier League at Christmas.

Steve Cooper’s side were starting to feel the world was against them last week after they were on the wrong end of four contentious decisions from Stockley Park during the 2-2 draw with Brentford here.

But after Wilfred Zaha had missed a penalty late in the first half, Morgan Gibbs-White scored the only goal of the game just before the hour mark.

Gibbs-White’s close range effort was initially flagged but after an agonising wait, VAR decided he was onside and Forest had a victory that would have been more comfortable with better finishing from Jesse Lingard. It also meant they moved above Southampton in the table in the final round of fixtures before the World Cup break.

After rescuing a point against Brentford in stoppage time here last week, Forest needed a fast start but almost found themselves a goal down inside two minutes. Poor defending presented Zaha with a volleyed chance from 10 yards which he sent over the bar.

Zaha was involved again moments later with a short cross that Dean Henderson palmed into the path of Jordan Ayew, though the forward did not react quickly enough and the chance was lost.

At the other end, Gibbs-White sent Brennan Johnson clear on the right and the sliding Lingard was desperately close to converting the cross at the far post.

Though they were playing without an orthodox centre-forward, the pace and mobility of Johnson, Gibbs-White and Lingard was causing Palace problems. Gibbs-White flicked one on for the charging Lingard, who was sent tumbling by Tyrick Mitchell as he prepared to shoot.

To the anger of the home supporters, only a yellow card was shown. In fairness, Lingard was going away from goal, but Mitchell was also lucky not to have been booked earlier for an off-the-ball tangle with Ryan Yates.

Forest were feeling even more glum just before the break when Zaha turned Joe Worrall and was clumsily dragged over – a clear penalty. Luckily for the Forest skipper, Zaha’s spot-kick was awful and clipped the outside of the post on its way wide.

The officials had made some strange decisions in the opening half but none more than adding only one minute’s stoppage time. There had been a three-minute delay for the Mitchell/Lingard incident alone as the Palace man received treatment, and a further two-minute pause between the foul on Zaha and the moment he struck the penalty.

There was little goalmouth action in the early part of the second half until Forest finally got the rub of the green from VAR. Vicente Guaita parried Johnson’s angled effort into the path of Gibbs-White and though the forward prodded in the rebound, he was quickly flagged offside.

However, after studying replays for about three minutes, VAR official Darren England ruled that Gibbs-White had been onside by the tiniest of margins. The goal stood.

Palace responded by sending on Jean-Philippe Mateta and Joel Ward for the ineffective Ayew and Mitchell and though they were having most of the ball, they were struggling to make it count.

Gibbs-White was easily Forest’s most creative player and he was at the heart of a fine chance created for Lingard with fifteen minutes left. The former Wolves man combined with Renan Lodi before crossing from the left for Johnson to tee up Lingard. From the perfect position close to the penalty spot, Lingard somehow failed to hit the target.

Lingard’s aim was again poor when he was put through by Gibbs-White only to lift his finish over the bar, though this time the flag was up. Michael Olise’s stoppage-time free-kick came to nothing and the City Ground greeted the final whistle with a thunderous roar.