"Yes, he’s ready, he trained for the entire week, so no issues," Oliver Glasner said before Nottingham Forest's visit to Ipswich. Morgan Gibbs-White will return to the squad for Friday's Premier League fixture, after a minor muscle issue kept him out. For Forest, the timing matters because their attack has been thin all season and the table has not been kind.

Glasner's update on Gibbs-White

Glasner made it clear why the midfielder's return helps. "When Morgan is available again, it’s important," he said. "We also know that Morgan is somebody who can create chances, who can score goals himself, and that that’s always very positive."

That is a fair reflection of Forest's problem. Gibbs-White has made 6 Premier League appearances in 2026, played 540 minutes and contributed 2 goals and assists combined. He is not being asked to rescue a full season alone, but Forest do need a player who can influence games over long spells, not just in bursts.

Forest's attack still needs more

Forest are 19th in the Premier League with just five goals to their name, and their home league record has not offered much relief either. They have yet to score in the Premier League at the City Ground this season, while BBC Sport said their lack of cutting edge remains a problem even when they create chances.

Glasner has already pointed to that issue. "Every team in the Premier League has the quality to come back into a game to score a goal," he said. "When you play the champions, you don't have seven, eight or nine moments like we had at Palace. You have two or three or four, and if you don't take it, you have always the chance to lose the game."

That applies here too. Ipswich are not bottom fodder, and Ipswich vs Nottingham Forest arrives with Forest needing more than one returning player to change their season. Gibbs-White gives them a better chance to make the most of the few chances they are creating, and Friday's game now has an extra layer of pressure on both sides.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →