Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest 23 October 2026 Prediction

Liam Delap returns to Portman Road with Nottingham Forest. Forest won 4-2 here in spring 2025, but they arrive on Friday nine places below Delap’s former club in the Premier League. Both teams need points.

Ipswich Town: Above Expectations

Ipswich left the Etihad without a point, but they responded well to Foden’s opener. Ouattara played Maeda through for the equalizer. Down 3-1, Gary O’Neil’s side kept pushing. Fatawu and Flemming came on, Ipswich pulled a goal back, and Manchester City remained under pressure until the final whistle. A week earlier, Ipswich scored twice after the 85th minute to beat Fulham 2-1. Their defense is a bigger concern: they have gone seven games without a clean sheet.

O’Neil has adjusted his formation to suit each opponent. He used a familiar 4-2-3-1 against Fulham, then switched to three center backs in Manchester, with Davis and Ouattara providing width. A return to a back four looks likely at home. Enciso could play behind Emersonn, with Maeda and Fatawu on the wings. Lukic is a fitness concern after missing the last away game with a groin injury. If he cannot play, Florentino is expected to partner Palacios.

Nottingham Forest: Results Have Not Matched Performances

Forest have lost three straight games, though their performances have been better than those results suggest. At Selhurst Park, Oliver Glasner’s side created several first-half chances: Ndoye scored, Gibbs-White hit the crossbar, and Delap missed a one-on-one opportunity. Forest generated 3.34 xG but scored only once in a 3-1 defeat. Against Arsenal, they held out until the 80th minute and outshot the champions 14-9, but conceded from Arsenal’s only shot on target.

Glasner has stuck with a 3-4-2-1. Munoz and Williams provide width, while the two attacking midfielders support Delap. Gibbs-White has been working toward a return on Friday, and Milenkovic is back in the squad after recovering from a knee injury. If both are fit, Ndoye could move closer to Delap, while Milenkovic would return to the center of defense.

Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest Predicted Lineup

Ipswich Town (4-2-3-1): Walton; Ouattara, O’Shea, Diop, Davis; Florentino, Palacios; Fatawu, Enciso, Maeda; Emersonn.

Unavailable: Taylor (injury); Lukic (doubtful).

Manager: Gary O’Neil.

Nottingham Forest (3-4-2-1): Sels; Milenkovic, Diomande, Murillo; Munoz, Schlager, Dominguez, Williams; McAtee, Ndoye; Delap.

Unavailable: Igor Jesus and Savona (injuries); Gibbs-White (doubtful).

Manager: Oliver Glasner.

Referee: Thomas Bramall.

Last season, Bramall averaged 3.85 yellow cards and 21.69 fouls per game, with two red cards and six penalties across 22 matches. So far this season, his averages are 2.25 yellow cards and 22.5 fouls per game.

Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest Prediction: Nottingham Forest to Win at 2.25

Main prediction: The league table does not reflect Forest’s underlying numbers. Through seven games, they have produced 11.43 xG and conceded 8.48 xG. Ipswich have generated 10.66 xG while allowing 14.18. Despite that gap, Forest have four fewer points. They have scored in every away game this season, beating Aston Villa 2-1 and drawing 2-2 at Liverpool. Ipswich have already lost at Portman Road to Liverpool in the league and Arsenal in the League Cup. Forest need to finish their chances, but the away win is the pick: Nottingham Forest to win at 2.25.

Goals prediction: Ipswich have conceded 15 goals in seven league games and have yet to keep a clean sheet. Forest have scored in 13 consecutive Premier League away matches, including twice at both Liverpool and Aston Villa this season. Set pieces offer another opportunity: Glasner’s side have generated 4.9 xG from them but scored only once. The additional pick is Nottingham Forest over 1.5 team goals at 2.02.