Revived Ipswich take Royle road toward play-off places

First Division

Eight points stand between Ipswich and a place in the First Division play-off zone, but it is indicative of the growing confidence at Portman Road since Joe Royle took charge that the former Everton and Manchester City manager is daring to predict that an instant return to the Premiership is still within his new side's scope.

Contrast this with the air of uncertainty suddenly enveloping Nottingham Forest – one of two sides who are eight points better off than Royle's team – where any talk of going up is banned.

Forest's fourth defeat in five matches against the leaders Portsmouth last Saturday prompted their manager, Paul Hart, to remind supporters that, although they might have scented promotion after a bright start to the season, the word had not crossed his lips.

"It hasn't been me talking about promotion," said Hart. "All I've said is that, as a club, we are making good progress, but that we have a small squad without much depth of experience and that if we start losing players to injury and suspension I'd be concerned."

Royle, by contrast, could not be more chipper. Having seen his team rise five places in eight days over the Christmas week, Royle prepares to face Millwall at home today satisfied that he is ready to launch phase two of his Portman Road project, with phase one complete.

"The first thing I wanted to do when I got here was to get away from the bottom three, which we have now done," he said. "What was a four-point gap is now 14, so the next stage is to get after the top six. We are good enough and there is time to do that. There is another eight points to make up, but that can soon be closed by three wins in a row and a couple of defeats for one of our rivals."

Forest beat Ipswich a month ago, at which point they had suffered only one defeat in 14 League matches, impressing observers wherever they went with the quality of their football. Since then, however, they have taken only three points from 15, losing at Burnley, Bradford and Sheffield Wednesday, as well as at home to Pompey.

Ipswich, on the other hand, have taken 11 from their last 15, as Royle has coaxed improved form from a number of players, notably the Spanish forward Pablo Couñago, who has increased his goal tally to 13 for the season, and the Danish defender Thomas Gaardsoe, who has responded to Royle's encouragement to get forward by scoring three in three matches.

Only the tendency to concede sloppy goals has worried Royle. Walsall, who go to Forest today, made life difficult for Ipswich by scoring twice at Portman Road on Saturday.

"We have been slack at the back and if you want to be successful you need clean sheets," he added. "People come to Portman Road thinking this is a great place to play, with a super pitch, a great stadium and where everyone is looked after. But we need to be able to handle that."

Steve Coppell, the Brighton manager, used to relish playing on smooth, flat surfaces as a winger with Manchester United, but candidly admits he is happy to see his own players confronted with a mudheap at the Withdean Stadium as they battle to avoid the drop.

"The two home games we have won, against Bradford and Derby, were on a really heavy pitch when it was chucking it down," he said. "It could be the more difficult the conditions, the more uncomfortable it is for First Division players who are used to playing on great surfaces."

With that in mind, provided the game goes ahead, Coppell was hoping for more rain before Wimbledon's visit today.