The upcoming FA Cup match between Nottingham Forest and Ipswich Town is set to take place on March 3 at 21:30 Kyiv time at the City Ground in Nottingham. Both teams have had contrasting performances recently, setting the tone for what lies ahead.
Nottingham Forest has been enjoying solid results, establishing themselves within the upper echelons of the Premier League (APL). Yet, their recent form reveals some cracks; they suffered defeats to Fulham (1:2) and Newcastle (3:4), followed by a goalless draw against Arsenal. Currently placed third, the team faces fierce competition for Champions League qualification.
Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest has had some success in previous FA Cup rounds, beating Luton Town 2:0 and overcoming Exeter City 2:2 (4:2 on penalties), which has bolstered their confidence.
Ipswich Town, freshly returned to the Premier League, has struggled significantly recently, slipping dangerously close to the Championship relegation zone. Of their last five matches, Ipswich has lost four—though they managed to secure a surprising draw against Aston Villa (1:1) even when playing with ten men. Their narrow loss to Manchester United (2:3) showcased some potential, but inconsistency remains their downfall.
Before this match, Ipswich progressed through the cup rounds, defeating Bristol Rovers (3:0) and Coventry City (4:1), but their current league form paints a grim picture.
Historically, the two teams met earlier this season at Nottingham Forest's home ground, where Forest claimed victory with a score of 1:0. Analysing their head-to-head statistics reveals Nottingham's ability to defend well at home—averaging 1.69 goals per game—while Ipswich averages 1.23 goals when playing away.
Projected starting line-ups show Nottingham Forest potentially featuring: Sels, Williams, Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Elanga, and Wood. Ipswich Town is likely to counter with Palmer, Greaves, O'Shea, Tuanzebe, Clark, Hutchinson, Davis, Philodgin-Baides, Kayuste, Morsy, and Delap.
Betking has set the odds for less than 2.5 total goals at 1.96, highlighting expectations for a tightly contested affair rather than one overflowing with scoring.
Across the league, another gripping fixture features Newcastle United against Brighton & Hove Albion, also taking place on March 2 as part of the FA Cup's round of 16. With both teams vying for similarly contested league positions, this match-up is anticipated to draw significant attention.
Rival expert Roman Pavlyuchenko predicts the odds favoring Newcastle, noting their rigorous past few matches against heavyweight opponents, indicating their potential to perform under pressure. Notably, Newcastle managed to beat Nottingham Forest (4:3) and Arsenal (2:0) during this tough streak, demonstrating their competitive edge.
Despite stumbling against Liverpool and Manchester City (0:2 and 0:4), Newcastle's standing remains strong at sixth place with 44 points, holding onto its spot for European competition. Brighton, sitting just below them with 43 points, maintains steady form but has faltered at times, recently suffering defeats, including a shocking 0:7 loss to Nottingham Forest and another to Everton (0:1).
Pavlyuchenko hints at Newcastle’s slight edge due to their improved standings, solid performances lately, and the fact they are to play on home turf—a significant advantage. Hence, betting on Newcastle, at odds of 2.07 seems reasonable for cautious investors.
Both matches promise tension and suspense, adding to the anticipation surrounding this year's FA Cup.