Ipswich host Nottingham Forest at Portman Road with Liam Delap leading the line for a Forest side second from bottom

Ipswich Town welcome Nottingham Forest to Portman Road for an 8pm BST kick-off on Friday, October 23. Gary O'Neil's promoted side sit 10th after seven games, while Oliver Glasner's Forest are 19th with five points and a minus-four goal difference. Liam Delap starts up front against his former club.

  • Fixture: Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest, Premier League
  • Venue: Portman Road
  • Kick-off: 8pm BST, Friday, October 23
  • League positions: Ipswich 10th; Forest 19th
  • Key selection: Liam Delap likely to start centrally for Forest
  • At stake: Forest's confidence and Glasner's early rhythm

Likely line-ups

Ipswich Town (back three)

Likely starters by role: Wing-backs Leif Davis and Abdoul Ouattara; midfield pairing of Sasa Lukic alongside Exequiel Palacios. O'Neil may retain the back three he used against Manchester City. Abdul Fatawu is available again out wide, with Daizen Maeda the man under pressure for that spot.

Options from the bench: Florentino Luis and Azor Matusiwa remain the alternatives in midfield if Lukic does not make it.

Nottingham Forest

Likely starters by role: Liam Delap as the central striker, with Chris Wood available as cover. Morgan Gibbs-White should start if fit enough, with James McAtee then able to drop deeper. If Gibbs-White is unavailable, Nicolas Dominguez is likely to keep his place.

Defence note: Nikola Milenkovic returned to the matchday squad against Arsenal after a knee bone bruise and could be brought back carefully.

Selection notes

Ipswich's Sasa Lukic missed the 3-2 defeat at Manchester City with a minor groin issue but is expected to return straight into midfield. Jack Taylor remains out with a knee problem and has yet to feature this season. For Forest, Igor Jesus is out with a calf injury until the end of the month. Morgan Gibbs-White missed the loss to Arsenal with a muscle issue but was close. Nicolo Savona is a long-term absentee with a knee injury and has not played since January.

Injury and availability

  • Sasa Lukic (Ipswich): Minor groin issue, missed the City defeat, expected to return.
  • Jack Taylor (Ipswich): Knee problem, yet to feature this season.
  • Abdul Fatawu (Ipswich): Back from suspension, provides a wide option.
  • Igor Jesus (Forest): Calf injury, out until the end of the month.
  • Morgan Gibbs-White (Forest): Muscle issue, missed the Arsenal loss, close to a return.
  • Nikola Milenkovic (Forest): Returned to the squad after a knee bone bruise, may be managed carefully.
  • Nicolo Savona (Forest): Long-term knee injury, has not played since January.

The numbers

  • Seven games played by both sides.
  • Ipswich: 10th; three league wins, the same tally as fifth-placed Liverpool.
  • Ipswich at home: more home wins already than in their previous top-flight relegation campaign two seasons earlier.
  • Forest: five points, goal difference of minus four, second from bottom.
  • Forest at home: no goals in four home matches.
  • Ipswich's last result: 3-2 defeat at Manchester City.
  • Forest's last result: loss to Arsenal.

The Liam Delap angle

Liam Delap returns to Portman Road, where he made a strong impression before his move away. He has shown flashes for Forest and scored the opener in their 2-1 win at Aston Villa. Against an Ipswich side likely to defend with numbers but still leave room in transition, he has a genuine chance of getting on the scoresheet.

The tactical logic behind starting him is clear. Ipswich may sit deep with a back three, inviting Forest forward, but that same setup can leave space in behind when the wing-backs push on. Delap's task is to attack those gaps and give Glasner's side the focal point they lacked in four goalless home matches.

Why O'Neil's shape choice matters more than it looks

Gary O'Neil changed shape against Manchester City and used a back three. Keeping it here would be sensible rather than cautious. With Leif Davis and Abdoul Ouattara as wing-backs, Ipswich get width without sacrificing defensive cover, while Sasa Lukic and Exequiel Palacios control the middle if Lukic is passed fit. Against a Forest side low on confidence, that structure asks the visitors to break down a compact block.

The counter-argument is that a home game against the 19th-placed team is the obvious moment to be more expansive. Abdul Fatawu's return from suspension gives O'Neil a direct option out wide, and the pressure on Daizen Maeda for that spot is a clear signal that the manager wants competition there. If Ipswich want to convert home advantage into three points, one of those wide players has to stretch Forest rather than simply protect the wing-back.

For Forest, everything hinges on Morgan Gibbs-White. Forest need somebody who can connect midfield to attack, and he is the obvious answer. If he plays, James McAtee can drop deeper and Forest have a genuine link between the lines. If not, Nicolas Dominguez keeps his place and the attack becomes more direct, relying on Liam Delap and Chris Wood as targets. That difference is the single biggest swing in this match.

Talking points

  • Is 10th for Ipswich a false position built on home form and a soft early fixture list, or proof that Gary O'Neil has genuinely made them competitive?
  • Can Oliver Glasner justify keeping Liam Delap central when Forest have scored no goals in four home matches and need a different attacking route?
  • Should O'Neil stick with the back three at home against the 19th-placed side, or is that conceding initiative to a team low on confidence?
  • How much of Forest's problem is personnel versus rhythm, given Gibbs-White's absence and Igor Jesus's calf injury up front?

What happens next

Kick-off at Portman Road is 8pm BST on Friday, October 23. By then, one of these clubs could look like a false league position. Maybe both do. For Glasner, a first away performance with real attacking structure would ease the pressure; for O'Neil, three more home points would confirm Ipswich's early-season efficiency is more than noise.

Frequently asked questions

Is Liam Delap starting for Nottingham Forest against Ipswich?

He is the likely central striker, with Chris Wood available as cover, after Igor Jesus was ruled out with a calf injury until the end of the month.

Is Morgan Gibbs-White fit to play for Forest at Portman Road?

He missed the loss to Arsenal with a muscle issue, but Glasner indicated he was close, and he should start if fit enough.

What time is Ipswich vs Nottingham Forest kick-off?

8pm BST on Friday, October 23 at Portman Road.

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