Ipswich v Forest: Mick McCarthy remains confident his struggling Town side will avoid dropping into the third-tier of English football for the first time in almost 50 years.

The manager’s faith might not be completely replicated on the terraces following heavy defeats at Crystal Palace and Leicester City and a stumbling 1-1 draw with bottom club Peterborough United.

But McCarthy, who is well aware of the size of his task as he approaches his first month is charge, has insisted he is enjoying every minute at Portman Road.

He said: “It’s a fabulous place, a great club and I’m loving being here. We need to get enough points to stay in this league – then we can progress after that. I think we will.”

It is McCarthy’s men on-the-pitch, rather than the manager’s enthusiasm, that is letting things down at the moment. Confidence remains the biggest opponent – the first half against Posh was woeful at best – and they now face a Nottingham Forest side who are not short on form.

Seventh in the league, with just one defeat in nine, Sean O’Driscoll boasts a squad that is the envy of most of the Championship – Lewis McGugan, James Coppinger and Dexter Blackstock were all on the bench last time around.

McCarthy said: “They appointed Sean who had worked with them last year and gave them a good insight. He’s made some good, astute signings for Championship football. He’s a good manager – he was at Doncaster and had them playing some good football.”

Some Town fans will be fearing the worst tonight after the Blues could only draw on Saturday.

But McCarthy said: “It’s the team that turns up on the day. If Forest play as well as they possibly can then we’ll have a real tough game, especially if we don’t perform.

“If we turn up and they don’t, because they’ve travelled and they’re tired or whatever, it could be a good night for us. You just don’t know.”