Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest: Premier League Preview, Team News and H2H

Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest takes place on Friday, 23 October 2026, at Portman Road, with kick-off at 19:00 UTC (20:00 BST). The Premier League Matchweek 8 fixture brings together Ipswich, who have collected nine points from seven matches, and a Forest side seeking to improve on five points and an increasingly difficult start to the season.

Ipswich beat Fulham 2–1 before losing 3–2 at Manchester City, while Nottingham Forest come into the game after three consecutive league defeats. Forest have created chances without converting enough of them, making their attacking response one of the main questions ahead of kick-off. For current scores, results and standings, follow SportPesa Score.

Liam Delap also returns to Portman Road as a Forest player after scoring 12 league goals for Ipswich in 2024/25. His familiarity with the stadium adds a personal storyline to a fixture with important points at stake for both teams.

Competition	Premier League 2026/27 — Matchweek 8
Date	Friday, 23 October 2026
Kick-off	19:00 UTC / 20:00 BST / 21:00 SAST / 22:00 EAT
Venue	Portman Road, Ipswich, England
Referee	Tom Bramall
Status	Scheduled in the official pre-match listing

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Ipswich will look to respond after a narrow defeat at Manchester City. Their confirmed line-up and any matchday absences should be taken from the official club team sheet rather than inferred from previous selections. With the home side sitting on nine points after seven games, the availability of its attacking players could shape the options available at Portman Road.

Nottingham Forest coach Oliver Glasner confirmed that Morgan Gibbs-White has trained through the week and is available again, while defender Nikola Milenković is fit to start. Igor Jesus and Nicolò Savona remain unavailable for the trip. Gibbs-White’s return gives Forest an important creative option at a time when the team need greater efficiency in front of goal.

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Ipswich Town	9 points from seven matches; beat Fulham 2–1, then lost 3–2 to Manchester City
Nottingham Forest	5 points from seven matches; lost 1–0 to Arsenal in their latest league game
Forest attack	5 goals from 11.2 expected goals (xG) after seven matches, according to Premier League analysis

Forest’s five goals from 11.2 xG represent an underperformance of 6.2 goals in the Premier League’s pre-match analysis. That figure does not predict the next result, but it shows why finishing has become a priority. Ipswich have scored in each of their two most recent league fixtures, although conceding three at Manchester City exposed the challenge of managing periods without the ball.

Forest have had the better of several recent meetings. In their last Premier League visit to Portman Road, they scored four, with Milenković opening the scoring and Anthony Elanga netting twice before Jota Silva added the final goal. Recent meetings provide context, but this match will involve different squad and tactical circumstances.

Delap’s return to Ipswich is one of the game’s clearest individual stories. The Forest forward scored 12 Premier League goals for the Tractor Boys in 2024/25 but has only one league goal this season heading into the fixture. His movement and finishing will draw attention against a former club familiar with his strengths.

Gibbs-White offers Forest creativity between midfield and attack, while Ipswich have the opportunity to test Forest’s defence at home. Whether Forest can translate chance creation into goals—and whether Ipswich can protect an advantage if they take one—are more useful questions than predicting a particular scoreline.

Ipswich have four more points than Forest entering Matchweek 8, but Forest’s chance-creation figures suggest their current results do not tell the whole attacking story. Team selection and finishing will matter more than assumptions based solely on league position.

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For the Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest live score, match events, official line-ups when available and final result, visit SportPesa Score. Club and Premier League channels remain the reference points for confirmed team news.

Friday, 23 October 2026, in Premier League Matchweek 8.

19:00 UTC, equivalent to 20:00 BST, 21:00 SAST and 22:00 EAT.

At Portman Road in Ipswich, England.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Nikola Milenković have been declared available; Igor Jesus and Nicolò Savona are ruled out.

Before Matchweek 8, Ipswich have nine points and Nottingham Forest five after seven games.

He returns to Ipswich as a Nottingham Forest forward after scoring 12 Premier League goals for Ipswich in 2024/25.

SportPesa Score carries available match information, while official club announcements confirm the starting teams.

Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest brings together two teams looking for a stronger run of Premier League results. Ipswich have home advantage and a four-point lead over Forest, but the visitors’ finishing problems and the return of Gibbs-White create important questions for Matchweek 8. Follow SportPesa Score for the match result and statistics, and SportPesa Blog for further Premier League news and related coverage.

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