Delap Tipped to Relight His Fire at Forest

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 23, 2026

Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner remains optimistic about striker Liam Delap's potential to improve after a slow start to the Premier League season following his £45 million transfer from Chelsea. Forest, currently 19th in the league with just five goals scored, hope Delap's confidence and form will grow as he gains more playing time ahead of their match against Ipswich.

Nottingham Forest manager Oliver Glasner has expressed confidence in striker Liam Delap’s ability to find form after a challenging start to the Premier League season. Delap, who joined Forest from Chelsea in the summer for £45 million, has yet to spark the club’s attack as they prepare to face Ipswich on Saturday evening.

Forest enter the match in 19th place in the league standings, having scored just five goals. Despite the pressure surrounding his transfer fee and high expectations, Glasner emphasized Delap’s relative inexperience at the top level, noting the striker’s need for time to adjust and regain confidence.

“I completely trust Liam,” Glasner said ahead of the fixture against Delap’s former club Ipswich. “Everybody forgets that Liam has had just one decent Premier League season in his entire career. At Chelsea, it was more downs than ups—frustration, losing confidence, losing his joy. It’s now trying to restart where it ended at Ipswich. That’s why it takes time.”

Glasner argued that Delap’s strengths, particularly his finishing ability, will become increasingly evident as he accumulates more playing minutes. The manager also dismissed suggestions that the striker might be weighed down by the expectations that come with his significant transfer fee, likening it to inflated pricing trends in other industries.

“If you go to the hairdresser, now you pay three times more. That’s the football world now,” Glasner said, underscoring the current market conditions in the sport.

For the upcoming Premier League encounter, Ipswich have named a 4-2-3-1 formation featuring Walton in goal, with a backline of Ouattara, Diop, O’Shea, and Davis. Midfield duties will be handled by Lukic and Palacios, while Fatawu, Enciso, and Maeda provide attacking support for forward Emersonn.

Forest are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation with Sels in goal. The defense comprises Diomande, Milenkovic, and Murillo. In midfield, Munoz, Dominguez, Schlager, and Williams are set to operate, with Ndoye and Gibbs-White playing behind lone striker Delap. The match is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. local time.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.