Nottinghamshire

Steve Sutcliffe
BBC Sport journalist

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Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White brushed off his omission from Thomas Tuchel's first England squad on Friday with a superb display at Portman Road.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who has excelled for Nuno Espirito Santo's side this term delivered the sort of performance that will certainly give the new Three Lions boss food for thought over the coming weeks and months.

Always available to receive the ball, Gibbs-White was constantly looking to make things happen for Forest and appeared to have time and space whenever it found him.

The run and the timing of his pass to allow Jota Silva to score Forest's fourth underlined his class on a day when others, like Elliot Anderson and Callum Hudson-Odoi, also made a case for international inclusion.

Anderson's industry in the heart of midfield and his simple but effective pass to set Anthony Elanga away for Forest's second goal, laid the platform for their impressive victory.

Meanwhile, Hudson-Odoi did not give the ball away with any of his 23 passes and offered a different kind of threat to the raw pace of Elanga on the opposite flank.

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Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "We got that moment right. We got Ipswich unbalanced and took advantage of it.

"Ipswich were always going to react. It was important for us to get the fourth goal after they scored to really put the game to bed. They have character and are intense. It was tough."

On Anthony Elanga scoring twice for the first time in the Premier League: "The first time? He has to do it again. He was huge for us today. Not only the goals he got but also his defensive tasks. He was always in the game.

On the Forest fans: "They have been huge for us. The help and support at the City Ground, and away from home I am delighted they can go back home happy."

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Ipswich's performance

What did you make of Nottingham Forest's display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Everton v West Ham

• Southampton v Wolves

• Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest - full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Man City v Brighton

• Bournemouth v Brentford (17:30) - full commentary starts on BBC Radio 5 Live Extra

All kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

I feel like some people don't believe that I am a lifelong Nottingham Forest fan, because I do support about eight other teams too, but there are photos of me as a kid in a new bright red Forest kit at Christmas one year, playing on a little snooker table that my parents had bought me.

So, this is a big game for Bruce and myself. He says the first game he went to at Portman Road in the mid-80s was against Brian Clough's Forest.

Ipswich won 1-0 and his abiding memory is of walking out of Portman Road afterwards and seeing the Forest team bus with Clough, in his green jumper, sitting in the front seat with a face like thunder.

The Tractor Boys desperately need a repeat of that result but I just can't see it happening.

Ipswich pushed Forest all the way in the FA Cup a couple of weeks ago, only losing on penalties, but both teams made changes for that game and I am not sure it will have too much bearing on what happens here.

It feels like it is now or never for Kieran McKenna's side in their fight to stay up, but I have been saying that for a while now and they still haven't won a league game this year.

Forest were impressive when they beat Manchester City last week and, when I think about their attacking players, I am convinced they are going to score enough to win this.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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We asked you to tell us in one sentence why Nottingham Forest will qualify for the Champions League.

Here are some of your comments:

Steve: Forest will continue to do what they've done for most of the games so far, defend well and catch teams on the break.

Elliot: Consistency, 'tough' games done, fully fit squad. This is our time.

Mossy: Best defence in the Premier League.

Stuart: Great business, great recruitment, great morals and an incredible work rate.

Rod: They are playing as one team.

Don: Because their 'never-say-die' attitude deserves it.

Rachel: Pinch me as I think I'm dreaming, with a Champions League place and beating Manchester City and Liverpool... just brilliant.

But not everyone was convinced..

Jared: Forest have the momentum to finish in Europe yes but you have to question their consistency in form.

Nigel: They won't. Forest's brand isn't strong enough to satisfy the advertisers and sponsors.

David: It is far too early to start talking about qualifying for the Champions League.

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Eighteen-year-old Forest centre-back Zach Abbott says he is enjoying learning from "one of the best defences in the Premier League".

The England Under-19 international made his senior debut for Forest in a Carabao Cup tie against Grimsby in 2022 but has began training full-time with the first team in the past year.

"For anyone it's a massive step," he told BBC Radio Nottingham's David Jackson. "You go to the back of the pecking order really and that's a really good challenge.

"You need to be confident in yourself, do the right things at the right time and get involved with everything you can. I'm learning off what is now a top-three Premier League team so it's really good for me to learn from one of the best defences in the Premier League.

"You see what they do and what I can do differently. I want to pick things up from people and magpie different things from different players."

Abbott appeared for Forest in the Carabao Cup second-round defeat on penalties to Newcastle last August and was in the squad for the Premier League win at Everton in December.

"It's been a really progressive year, I think I've learned a lot of really useful information, a lot of good tactics, and I just want to keep pushing on.

"There are world cup players there and that's where I want to be in the future. They also know I need to make my own way and do things myself so I like to learn from own mistakes as well. They know that because they have been there too. It's really good around the place."

Listen to more from Abbott on the Shut Up and Show More Football podcast on BBC Sounds

Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are among the clubs showing an interest in Nottingham Forest and England midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, 25. (Caughtoffside), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

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England Under-21s midfielder Elliot Anderson "wouldn't have believed" Nottingham Forest would be third in the table with 10 games to go, with a chance to be playing Champions League football next season.

"Everyone is enjoying the moment and we have a right good group, who are all pushing in the same direction, which is the key to our success", Anderson - who has contributed five assists and a goal in 27 Premier League appearances - tells BBC Sport presenter Darren Fletcher.

"We as players all see the talk that we won't keep it up but ultimately it goes back to the fundamentals and what we have built it on, which is the basics. If we just focus on each game, and do what we set out to do, we'll be OK.

When asked about achieving a Champions League spot, he said: "It would be incredible.

"Not just for the club but for the city, where it could help in all sorts of ways. I think it would be a huge historic moment for the club and for the players who have been working hard all season to pull it off.

"It will be an amazing season but first we have to win on Saturday to try and do it".

Forest travel to Ipswich on Saturday and sit four points behind second place Arsenal.