Will Forest go ahead again?
Two representatives from the Premier League face each other in the round of 16 of the FA Cup! The betting community provides its tips and odds for the exciting clash between Nottingham and Ipswich. The home side only just avoided embarrassment against third-division side Exeter City in the last round.
It was only in the penalty shootout that they secured their place in the next round. In doing so, the two offensive top players Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White were even forced to be substituted on from the bench, as it was obviously not enough without them.
This time, however, a real starting XI can be expected from the hosts right from the start, as the “Tractor Boys” are facing a league rival, although the guests are only playing to avoid relegation in the PL. For the match between Nottingham and Ipswich, the prediction is that the home side will score first.
Nottingham – Statistics & current form
Forest are having an unusually strong season in the Premier League. Currently, the “Tricky Trees” are in third place. Instead of being in the relegation battle like in the previous season, the club from the East Midlands is in the race for a Champions League place!
Coach Nuno Espírito Santo’s team can also rely on home advantage against Ipswich. Only one of the last eleven competitive home games ended in defeat, with eight wins instead. A highlight in this context was the 7-0 win against Brighton in the penultimate home game.
Wood scores regularly for Forest
Furthermore, the winner of the European Cup in 1979 and 1980 has a striker in Chris Wood who is currently in particularly hot form. The New Zealander has scored in half of the last eight competitive matches for the hosts.
Moreover, the two-time FA Cup winner (last in 1959) is very focused in home games. In the league, he has not been behind at half-time in any home game so far, instead taking the break in seven of 13 home games with a lead.
For this reason, the betting odds for another home win, which goes hand in hand with the 1978 English champions taking the lead at half-time, are equally appealing for the Nottingham and Ipswich clash.
Predicted Nottingham lineup
Sels – Williams, Murillo, Aina, Milenkovic – Anderson, Dominguez, Hudson-Odoi, Elanga, Gibson-White – Wood
Ipswich – statistics & current form
The PL newcomer may be the underdog in this clash, but they have a joker in Jack Clarke in attack. The striker is still waiting for a league goal, but he is all the more comfortable in the FA Cup.
The 24-year-old is the second-highest scorer in this year’s competition with three goals and two assists! Furthermore, he has provided at least one assist in both of Ipswich’s matches in the current edition of the FA Cup! The winter transfer of Jaden Philogene has also paid off.
The attacking midfielder joined from league rivals Aston Villa for more than €20 million, and the money seems to have been well spent. In the dress rehearsal for the match against Nottingham, the Brit scored a brace in the league at Manchester United, which was nevertheless lost. The 23-year-old newcomer also scored in the last FA Cup tie against Coventry.
Ipswich is focusing on the league
On the other hand, it is to be expected that the guests will not focus mentally on the FA Cup due to the precarious situation in the Premier League, where they are fighting against relegation. Although they do not want to give away the match against Forest, the priorities of the Championship runners-up are clearly on the league.
Reaching the last 16 is also a clear improvement on last year, when Ipswich disgraced themselves by being knocked out early by sixth-tier Maidstone United!
Ipswich defense with room for improvement
One shortcoming of coach Kieran McKenna’s team is the shaky defense. In the Premier League, Ipswich concedes an average of more than two goals per league game. In contrast, the offense performs better away than at home. 16 of the 26 seasonal league goals were scored by the Portman Road kickers away from home.
In light of this, betting odds on a top goal celebration by both sides also appear profitable in the clash between Nottingham and Ipswich. This prediction is backed up by the unusually weak defensive performance of Forest in recent games.
Eleven of the 33 seasonal goals against and thus a third were conceded by the hosts in the last five league games alone! Betano offers odds for the prediction and the bookmaker regularly allows its quotes to be marked up, which means you can also bet at increased odds with them!
Predicted lineup Ipswich
Palmer – Tuanzebe, Davis, O’Shea, Greaves – Morsy, Cajuste, Clarke, Hutchinson, Philogene – Delap
Nottingham – Ipswich Head to head / H2H record
The teams last met in the Premier League in November last year. That game ended in a 1-0 home win for Forest. Thanks to that success, the City Ground side are unbeaten in their last four meetings with the 1980/81 UEFA Cup winners (3-1-0).
Furthermore, Nottingham’s home record against Town is very positive from the home side’s point of view – Forest have not been beaten at home by Ipswich in 15 home games and have come out on top in nine of those games!
Nottingham – Ipswich Betting tip
Last year, Nottingham were beaten by the eventual winners, Manchester United, in the last 16 of the FA Cup. This time, however, there are no signs of another elimination at this stage of the competition. With the PL promoted team, the hosts have a clearly weaker opponent in front of them and for the match between Nottingham and Ipswich, the tip is that the hosts will score the first goal of the game.
In addition to the higher quality of play on the part of the third-placed team in the Premier League compared to the relegation-threatened guests, the fact that Forest generally do not have any offensive teething problems this season speaks in favor of the prediction. In 27 league games, the hosts have already scored the first goal of the game 20 times. No other team in the top flight of English football has matched this number!