Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy hopes today is the day that David McGoldrick returns to his talismanic best.

The 27-year-old was in devastating form during the 2013/14 season, scoring 16 goals before a knee injury cut short his campaign in February.

It has been a largely frustrating time for him since then though. The Blues turned down a multi-million pound bid from Premier League club Leicester City in the summer of 2014 and the forward subsequently struggled to reproduce his previous top form, scoring just seven times before injury again struck.

With increased competition for places up front this season, McGoldrick has been limited to just three league starts and eight substitute appearances so far.

He had been set to start Tuesday night’s match at Hull City but was then forced to sit out after sustaining a minor groin injury in training.

And now he’s champing at the bit to face his hometown club and former employers Nottingham Forest, at The City Ground, this afternoon (3pm).

“Bearing in mind it’s Nottingham Forest, of course he is,” said McCarthy. “We’d like to get Didz back in his pomp. That would be fabulous.

“The year before last he got all the goals, last year it was Murph (Daryl Murphy) with 27 then Freddie (Sears) came in and scored at will.

“I think there are games we would have won if that had been the case this season because we’ve created enough chances.

“That hasn’t happened yet. It’s not all been doom and gloom though.”

Today’s game in the East Midlands sees two of the Championship’s most out-of-form sides going head-to-head.

Ipswich have claimed just six points from their last eight league matches to free-fall from top to 11th in the table.

Forest – without 10 first team players through injury or suspension – currently sit in 16th-place following a five-game winless run. They have recorded just one victory in their last 10 league outings on home turf.

“We’ll go up there and try and win, no doubt about that,” said McCarthy. “Neither of us will be brimming with confidence, but it’s incredible how quickly that can change.

“We played well for 35 minutes on Tuesday night and, had we got the goal, it might have been different. We’ll go and try and start the same again and this time score.”

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