First division: Forest face daunting sequence

Anyone with money on Nottingham Forest winning promotion to the Premiership should gain a fair idea over the next 14 days of whether their bet is likely to be successful.

During that time, fifth-placed Forest face as daunting a sequence of matches as any of the contenders. They travel to seventh-placed Ipswich Town today, second-placed Leicester City on Tuesday, face Wolverhampton Wanderers, who are sixth, at home next Friday, then have consecutive away games against top-four sides Sheffield United (15 April) and Reading (18 April).

A month ago, Forest's manager Paul Hart condemned the intensity of this run as "ridiculous" although yesterday he played down its significance.

"At this time of the season, they are all big games for every team," he said. "You could be fighting to get into the play-offs or trying to avoid relegation. Everyone has their ambitions and you have to take every challenge one at a time."

The first might be the biggest. Ipswich, unbeaten in nine matches and beaten only twice in 20, closed the gap between themselves and Wolves to two points by winning at Gillingham last week. Forest, a further two points better off, have two games in hand but will feel under pressure should they lose today.

Hart was impressed with Ipswich when Forest beat them at the City Ground in November but can expect a more difficult task now that Royle's influence is fully established.

For his part, Royle is wary of the threat posed by the former Ipswich striker David Johnson and by Darren Huckerby, who he signed as Manchester City manager. "I remember seeing David when he was a kid at Manchester United and when he was knocking goals in for Bury," Royle said. "He has had injury problems but unfortunately for us he is back to his best. I know Darren very well too and he is dangerous."

Level on points with Ipswich, eighth-placed Norwich are equally well positioned, although their form has been less impressive. They take on a Derby County side now in the charge of former Ipswich manager, George Burley, who is nominally "interim" manager in the absence of the suspended John Gregory.

Burley has made his mark by restoring his nephew, Craig, to the team and is likely to give chances to Simo Valakari and Fabrizio Ravanelli. All three were ostracised by Gregory.

Leaders Portsmouth, at Walsall, and Leicester, at home to Grimsby, both take on sides battling relegation while Neil Warnock will be anxious that his Sheffield United side keep their minds fixed on away games at Crystal Palace (today) and Wimbledon (Tuesday) with the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal only eight days away.