Ipswich Town welcome Nottingham Forest to Portman Road on Friday night, with the two sides experiencing very different starts to the Premier League season.
Gary O’Neil’s newly promoted side are sitting tenth after collecting nine points from seven matches, although they’ve certainly made life interesting for themselves.
Ipswich have scored 11 goals and conceded 15, with last weekend’s narrow 3-2 defeat at Manchester City another example of their attacking ambition and defensive vulnerability.
Forest, meanwhile, are 19th after taking just five points from their opening seven fixtures.
Oliver Glasner’s side have scored only five league goals, despite creating enough opportunities to suggest their attacking problems aren’t entirely down to a lack of chances.
The visitors have also lost three consecutive matches, most recently suffering a frustrating 1-0 defeat against Arsenal.
Liam Delap returns to Portman Road looking to get one over on his former club, while Forest have received a welcome boost with Morgan Gibbs-White declared fit.
With Ipswich proving difficult to predict and Forest desperate for points, Friday’s encounter could be closer than the league table suggests.
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What are the best betting tips for Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest?
Ipswich Town double chance
Ipswich have made an encouraging start to life back in the Premier League, winning three of their opening seven matches.
O’Neil’s side have shown they’re capable of competing against established top-flight opposition, most recently pushing Manchester City all the way in a 3-2 defeat at the Etihad.
They also beat Fulham 2-1 in their previous home fixture, and Portman Road should provide another difficult atmosphere for visiting opponents.
Forest arrive having lost three consecutive Premier League matches, with their struggles in front of goal a particular concern.
Glasner’s side have scored just five times in seven games, the lowest total in the division.
Ipswich haven’t been reliable enough defensively to justify complete confidence in a home victory, but backing them to avoid defeat offers some protection against a draw.
Liam Delap 2+ shots
Liam Delap returns to familiar surroundings on Friday, having previously scored 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich.
The Forest striker has managed just one league goal this season, although his willingness to shoot hasn’t disappeared.
Delap has registered 18 attempts across his opening seven Premier League appearances, averaging more than two shots per match.
Forest have struggled to convert opportunities, but they’ve continued to create chances despite their disappointing results.
Ipswich’s defensive record also offers encouragement.
The Tractor Boys have conceded 15 goals in seven matches, and their attacking approach regularly leaves opponents with opportunities in transition.
Delap should be heavily involved against his former club, making two or more attempts an appealing alternative to backing him to score.
Over 4.5 match cards
Friday’s meeting carries plenty of importance for both teams, particularly Nottingham Forest.
The visitors are already in the relegation zone and have lost their previous three Premier League matches, increasing the pressure to produce a result.
Ipswich, meanwhile, have developed an aggressive approach under O’Neil, with their wing-backs encouraged to push forward and support attacks.
That could create plenty of individual battles against Forest’s own wing-back system, particularly in wide areas where both teams will look to gain territory.
Delap’s return adds another interesting subplot, while Forest’s desperation for points could contribute to a competitive and physical contest.
This is the more speculative of our three selections, with the referee’s approach likely to play an important role.
However, a tense Friday-night encounter between two sides with plenty at stake could produce a healthy number of bookings.
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What is Ipswich Town’s predicted team?
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Walton; O’Shea, Diop, Greaves; Ouattara, Florentino Luís, Palacios, Davis; Maeda, Enciso; Emersonn.
Injured: Jack Taylor.
Doubts: Saša Lukić.
Suspended: None confirmed.
Gary O’Neil could retain the three-man defence that performed encouragingly against Manchester City.
Despite losing 3-2, Ipswich caused the league leaders problems and may stick with a similar approach against Forest.
Saša Lukić is pushing to return after a groin problem, although his involvement remains uncertain.
Exequiel Palacios and Florentino Luís could continue in central midfield, with Leif Davis and Abdoul Ouattara providing width.
Julio Enciso and Daizen Maeda are options behind Emersonn, while Zian Flemming is pushing for a starting place after scoring from the bench against City.
Abdul Fatawu is also available again following his suspension.
What is Nottingham Forest’s predicted team?
Formation: 3-4-2-1
Sels; Cunha, Diomande, Murillo; Muñoz, McAtee, Schlager, Williams; Gibbs-White, Ndoye; Delap.
Injured: Igor Jesus, Nicolò Savona.
Doubts: None confirmed.
Suspended: None confirmed.
Oliver Glasner has confirmed that Morgan Gibbs-White is available after missing Sunday’s defeat against Arsenal.
The Forest captain has returned to full training and should provide some much-needed creativity in attack.
Nikola Milenković is also fit and available to start, although Glasner must decide whether to change a defence that performed reasonably well against Arsenal.
Igor Jesus and Nicolò Savona remain sidelined.
Daniel Muñoz and Neco Williams are expected to operate as wing-backs, with James McAtee and Xaver Schlager providing options in midfield.
Gibbs-White and Dan Ndoye could support Liam Delap, who will be looking to improve on his solitary league goal against his former club.
Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest stats
- Ipswich are tenth in the Premier League with nine points from seven matches.
- Nottingham Forest are 19th with five points from seven games.
- Ipswich have scored 11 goals and conceded 15 in the league.
- The Tractor Boys’ seven league fixtures have produced 26 goals, averaging 3.71 per match.
- Forest have scored just five Premier League goals, the lowest total in the division.
- Forest have lost their previous three league matches.
- Liam Delap has registered 18 shots in seven Premier League appearances.
- Forest are unbeaten in their previous six meetings with Ipswich, winning five.
Where can I watch Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest?
Ipswich Town host Nottingham Forest at Portman Road on Friday, 23 October 2026, with kick-off at 8 pm BST.
United Kingdom: Sky Sports Premier League, with streaming through Sky Go and NOW.
United States: Check NBC’s match listings for television and Peacock streaming availability. Kick-off is at 3 pm ET.
Canada: Fubo Canada, with kick-off at 3 pm ET.
Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest prediction
Ipswich have been one of the Premier League’s more entertaining teams this season, but their defensive record remains a concern.
O’Neil’s side have shown plenty of attacking quality, scoring twice against Manchester City last weekend and beating Fulham in their previous home fixture.
Forest’s league position is disappointing, although their performances haven’t always reflected their results.
Glasner’s side have created opportunities but struggled badly with their finishing, and the return of Gibbs-White should improve their attacking options.
Delap will also have extra motivation against his former club.
Ipswich’s home advantage could prove significant, but Forest have enough quality to make this a difficult evening for the Tractor Boys.
With both teams capable of creating chances but neither particularly convincing, a draw looks a realistic outcome.
Score prediction: Ipswich Town 1-1 Nottingham Forest
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