Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest meet on Friday, October 23 at 3 p.m. ET in a Premier League game that carries very different weight for both sides. Ipswich arrive in 10th place with nine points from seven games, while Forest sit 19th with five points and only one victory.
The match will be shown live on USA Network in the United States, and it comes with Liam Delap still looking for his second league goal of the season. Ipswich have scored 11 goals already and are one point off sixth place, so another win would keep them close to the early race for the European places.
That is not the full story, though. Ipswich lost 3-2 to Manchester City last weekend, but they became only the second team this league season to score multiple goals against them and beat Fulham 2-1 before that. Gary O’Neil may keep much of that lineup intact, with Zian Flemming having scored off the bench against Manchester City, while Sasa Lukic could return from a groin issue. Liam Delap is expected to lead the attack again.
Forest have a different problem. They are on a three-game losing streak after a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal last time out, and they have scored a league-low five goals while conceding nine. Their best moments have come away from home, including a win at Aston Villa in September, but that does not erase the recent pattern between these clubs. Forest are unbeaten in the last six meetings, have won five of them and beat Ipswich 4-2 in March.
There is also one major selection doubt hanging over Forest. Morgan Gibbs-White is dealing with a muscular problem, while Igor Jesus and Nicolo Savona have been ruled out. That matters because Forest need a way to stop the slide, and this fixture has usually been one they have controlled. Ipswich have the form and the table position to push the game toward them. Forest have the history and, if Gibbs-White is fit enough to play, at least one route to making it uncomfortable. Friday is when the balance gets tested.
