⚽ Updates from the 8pm BST kick-off at Portman Road ⚽ Ten things to look out for | How they stand | Mail Scott
Gary O’Neil talks to Sky. “The team today allows us to get more attacking players on the pitch … we want as many as we can … we need to be really secure with the ball … it will be a test … they are a very direct side … a big test of us … one that we can learn a bit more about ourselves and hopefully come out on top.”
Oliver Glasner speaks to Sky Sports: “When we watch our performances … we feel we could have four, five or six points more … we are doing everything that is necessary to get the win … it is really English weather today! … I expect a very intense game … this is what we have to match … Morgan [Gibbs-White] is maybe the key player in our attack … he is unlucky, he could have five, six, seven assists already … he is very important.”
Forest start the weekend in 19th place …
… so is it already time to panic? NOT YET! says Niall McVeigh, who leads off this week’s 10 Things …
Oliver Glasner … needs to find solutions for the league’s lowest scorers
… while it’s a resounding NO! from Will Unwin, who counsels patience.
Learning the Glasner way is not straightforward … behind the obvious figures, there is plenty of underlying encouragement for Forest
Nottingham Forest also make two changes to their starting XI, after their 1-0 loss at home to the champions Arsenal. Morgan Gibbs-White and Nikola Milenković replace Ousmane Diomande, who drops to the bench, and Nicolás Domínguez, who misses out altogether.
Ipswich make two changes to their starting XI following their 3-2 defeat at Manchester City last weekend. Abdul Fatawu and Jaden Philogene come in for Jacob Greaves and Daizen Maeda, who drop to the bench.
Ipswich Town: Walton, Ouattara, Diop, O’Shea, Davis, Palacios, Florentino, Fatawu, Enciso, Philogene-Bidace, Emersonn. Subs: Scherpen, Furlong, Matusiwa, Flemming, Greaves, Akpom, Nunez, Maeda, Clarke.
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Jair Cunha, Milenkovic, Murillo, Munoz, McAtee, Schlager, Williams, Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Delap. Subs: John Victor, Diomande, Sangare, Hudson-Odoi, Wood, Kalimuendo, Yates, Netz, Aina.
Referee: Thomas Bramall VAR: Constantine Hatzidakis
At last, the 1978 show! That year marking the start of imperial phases for both of these clubs: Ipswich Town won their first and only FA Cup, Nottingham Forest their sole league championship. Within another three years, Town were lifting the Uefa Cup (and really should have won another league title to go with Sir Alf’s heroic flash-in-the-pan) by which point Forest were two-time European champions. A pair of genuinely legendary managers, too, in Bobby Robson and Brian Clough. Glory days colliding, banner moments coinciding. Could it all happen again? Well, there’s no point anyone pulling on their boots if we’re not allowed to dream, so why not? Ipswich can go as high as fifth for the evening, though they’d have to win big, while Forest could catapult themselves into the comfort of mid-table. And after that, a world of possibility stretches out ahead. Bobby and Brian showed us how. Kick-off is at 8pm BST. It’s on!
