Ipswich Town will be seeking to make it four unbeaten matches in the Premier League when they travel to Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday. Both sides are seeking to bounce back from contrasting results last weekend as Forest were thrashed by Arsenal while Ipswich earned a creditable draw against Manchester United.
Current Form and Standings
Nottingham Forest
Position: 7th in the Premier League with 22 points from 14 matches.
Recent Form: After a promising start to the season, Forest has suffered back-to-back losses, conceding six goals in their last two outings.
Home Form: The Garibaldi have been strong at home, winning their last four Premier League matches against newly-promoted sides.
Ipswich Town
Position: 18th, level on points with Wolves but behind on goal difference.
Recent Form: The Tractor Boys have not lost in their last three matches. They drew against Leicester and Manchester United and defeated Tottenham Hotspur.
Away Form: Ipswich has managed to score in six of their seven away games this season, showing great spirit away from home.
Match Preview
Nottingham Forest
Manager Nuno Espirito Santo faces growing challenges after the disappointing 3-0 loss to Arsenal. Forest’s normally tight backline has recently let in three or more goals in consecutive matches for the first time this season. However, their record against newly-promoted teams offers hope, as Forest have won their last four top-flight games against such opponents.
Key Challenges:
Injury concerns in attack and midfield.
Defensive lapses in the last two matches.
Ipswich Town
Under the tutelage of Kieran McKenna, Ipswich has been feisty against the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham. Though their defense is still leaky, having not kept a clean sheet in eight games, the Tractor Boys have been finding the net with regularity and can be a thorn in the side of Forest’s fragile backline.
Key Challenges:
Defensive frailty despite improved performances.
A poor historical record at the City Ground, with their last win there coming in 1999.
Recent Form
Nottingham Forest (Premier League): DWWWLL
Ipswich Town (Premier League): LLLDWD
Team News
Nottingham Forest
Out: Ibrahim Sangare (hamstring), Danilo (ankle).
Doubtful: Morgan Gibbs-White (ankle), Elliot Anderson (foot), Anthony Elanga (shoulder).
Boost: Chris Wood is expected to begin after his return from the international break and Jota Silva might be on the bench, starting if Elanga is declared unavailable.
Predicted Lineups
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Moreno; Yates, Dominguez; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Silva; Wood.
Ipswich Town
Out: Janoi Donacien (ankle), George Hirst (knee), Chiedozie Ogbene (Achilles).
Doubtful: Ben Johnson, Kalvin Phillips – knock, Jacob Greaves – thigh, Nathan Broadhead – groin.
Boost: Omari Hutchinson will look to carry his brilliant performance from the Manchester United tie into this match.
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Starting XI: Muric; Tuanzebe, O’Shea, Burgess, Davis; Cajuste, Morsy; Burns, Hutchinson, Szmodics; Delap.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Ipswich Town
Ipswich have shown they can compete with the best but struggle to keep clean sheets. Forest’s current form and injury doubts back up a notion that it may be hard for them to make their authority known. A tight, scrappy, low-scoring draw looks the most fitting outcome.
