Anthony Elanga scored twice and Nikola Milenkovic had a goal and an assist as Nottingham Forest’s first-half surge set the tone for a 4-2 win over slumping Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Saturday.
WATCH – Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest
Jota Silva also scored for Forest, who led 3-0 after scoring thrice in under seven first-half minutes. The Tricky Trees are now a point back of second-place Arsenal before the Gunners play Chelsea on Sunday.
As for Ipswich, goals from Jens Cajuste and George Hirst are relegated to the background as the Tractor Boys inch closer to relegation. Wolves won on Saturday, pushing 17th place nine points away from 18th-place Ipswich.
Nikola Milenkovic one of the transfer steals of the century
Serbia knew about Nikola Milenkovic when the center back made the move from Fiorentina to Forest this summer, but looking back at his reported $15 million transfer fee through the lens of his 2024-25 season makes it look like he was playing under cover from the rest of the world. The 27-year-old aerial monster has been fundamentally important to Nuno Espirito Santo’s rejuvenated Forest back line, and that was on display beyond his goal and assist on Saturday. Milenkovic won all five of his duels and was credited with 14 clearances in the 4-2 win. He’s been elite in duels this season and also has few peers amongst defenders when it comes to touches in the opposition box. Milenkovic was the 16th most expensive defender bought by a Premier League team this summer, and the second most expensive on his team (Morato). That’s value.
Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
The international break, then Ipswich go to Bournemouth on April 2 before hosting Wolves in an absolute must-win on April 5.
Forest exit the international break right into an FA Cup quarterfinal match at Brighton March 29 before hosting Man United in the Premier League on April 2 and heading to Aston Villa on the 5th.
How to watch Ipswich vs Nottingham Forest live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11am ET Saturday
Venue: Portman Road — Ipswich, Suffolk
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Premier League on Peacock
Ipswich vs Nottingham Forest final score: 2-4
Nikola Milenkovic 35', Anthony Elanga 37', 42', Jota Silva 87'; Jens Cajuste 82', George Hirst 90+3'
Ipswich vs Nottingham Forest live updates
George Hirst goal — Ipswich 2-4 Forest (90+3')
Jota Silva goal — Ipswich 1-4 Forest (87th minute)
Jens Cajuste goal — Ipswich 1-3 Forest (82nd minute)
So well done here.
Cajuste takes a pass from Jack Clarke atop the arc, then spins by Ryan Yates and curls a terrific effort around Matz Sels to ruin the clean sheet.
Forest subs
No hat trick coming for Elanga, who departs along with Nicolas Dominguez.
Morato and Ryan Yates enter the fray in the 67th minute.
Halftime — Ipswich Town 0-3 Nottingham Forest
It came apart in an avalanche, three goals in just over six-and-a-half minutes essentially granting Forest entry into the win column.
Milenkovic has been a force at the back end for Forest, but he now has four goals and two assists this season. Best XI, anyone?
Anthony Elanga goal — Ipswich 0-3 Forest (42nd minute)
A long searching ball from Milenkovic looks set for a 50:50 between Woolfenden and Wood but it falls, and Elanga runs onto it.
He beats a host of Tractor Boys to the ball and rolls it past Palmer for three goals in 6:39.
Anthony Elanga goal — Ipswich 0-2 Forest (37th minute)
A fabulous finish, this one.
Elliot Anderson springs a rush for Anthony Elanga, who has an extended 1v1 with Jacob Greaves.
The Swede picks up his left foot and curls a hard shot around the hands of a diving Alex Palmer.
Wow.
Nikola Milenkovic goal — Ipswich 0-1 Forest (35th minute)
Ipswich have two headed half-clearances and the second hits the thigh of Forest star center back Nikola Milenkovic, who lashes into the roof of the goal.
Tractor Boys in it
So far, so good for Ipswich, Omari Hutchinson had a half-chance from 19 yards, but swirled it just over the goal with his left foot.
Forest clearly the favorite even away from home, but Ipswich hanging in there as they have so many times this season.
Ipswich Town lineup, team news
Palmer, O’Shea, Woolfenden, Greaves, Davis, Phillips, Cajuste, Philogene, Hutchinson, Enciso, Delap
OUT: Arijanet Muric (shoulder), Axel Tuanzebe (hamstring), Sammi Szmodics (ankle), Conor Chaplin (knee), Wes Burns (knee), Chiedozie Ogbene (achilles - out for season)
Nottingham Forest lineup, team news
Sels, Williams, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina, Dominguez, Anderson, Gibbs-White, Elanga, Hudson-Odoi, Wood
OUT: Carlos Miguel (thigh)
Ipswich vs Nottingham Forest preview, prediction
Ipswich have taken just two points in nine Premier League games to start 2025, a run that could cost them their top-flight lives if they don’t turn it around very soon.
The Tractor Boys just took third-place Nottingham Forest to penalties in the FA Cup, and that was at the City Ground earlier this month. Forest won’t be caught off guard in this rematch at Ipswich.
Forest just beat Man City a week after drawing Arsenal, and second place is looking like a real possibility despite a dry spell that saw Forest go 1W-3L in match weeks 23-26.
The Tricky Trees are just four points back of the Gunners and are four clear of Chelsea and Man City. The Champions League is a real option, but three points against Ipswich are part of that plan.
Ipswich are due for a win. They may only have three but the list includes Chelsea and Spurs, so taking care of Forest is far from an impossibility. Their first meeting was a 1-0 Forest home win in the league before the FA Cup tie went to penalties earlier this month. Could Liam Delap be set for an end to his dry spell? Ipswich 1-1 Nottingham Forest.
