Leeds v Nottingham Forest preview
Leeds United supervisor Daniel Farke expects Nottingham Forest to make it “tough to create possibilities” when the edges who’re stage on 26 factors meet at Elland Street on Friday.
With 14 league matches remaining, each groups are six factors above third-bottom West Ham with an eight-goal superiority – and the Hammers have a winnable-looking journey to second-bottom Burnley on Saturday (15:00 GMT).
“I’m assured that, with this group, we will obtain our targets,” mentioned Farke. “We’re succesful to win sufficient factors to win the proper to remain on this league.
“Nothing is achieved but, although. In every sport day it’s a must to combat to win factors. We have now to be on it, targeted, concentrated and we will certainly want our supporters.
⏪ Rewind: Nottingham Forest pic.twitter.com/xprBdEJPih
— Leeds United (@LUFC) February 4, 2026
“Forest are a workforce with a lot of particular person high quality; they certified for Europe final season and spent a lot of cash final summer season.
“They’re positively sturdy opponents and in opposition to these sides it’s by no means straightforward to create possibilities, to open them up.”
The Whites had misplaced one in every of their earlier 11 matches in all competitions earlier than a 4-0 house defeat to Arsenal final Saturday, whereas Forest have taken eight factors from their final 4 league video games following a 1-1 draw at house to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
“The gamers don’t want me to maintain reminding them in regards to the video games,” mentioned boss Sean Dyche. “I’ve spoken endlessly about them.
“My mentality – and what I’m making an attempt to instil within the gamers – is that each sport is an enormous sport and we must always go into it believing we will win.
“It’s not straightforward, however that’s the mentality I need. The noise may be the noise and also you see by that with pure mentality to ship each time that whistle goes. We’re displaying indicators of getting there.”
Leeds United v Nottingham Forest workforce information
Leeds centre-back Jaka Bijol (hamstring) might be in rivalry and full-back James Justin (bruised toe) is offered after each returned to coaching.
Farke supplied “excellent information” on Daniel James, saying the winger is “making progress” on a comeback from a hamstring harm.
The German described Lukas Nmecha’s involvement as “most likely unlikely”, with the ahead “not too distant” from being again in coaching following a hamstring situation.
Anton Stach sustained a hip drawback in the course of the defeat to Arsenal. Farke expects the midfielder to be out for between 10 and 14 days.
Goalkeeper Matz Sels might return for Forest following a hip situation however Stefan Ortega, who has joined on mortgage from Manchester Metropolis, is offered to deputise.
Midfielder Callum Hudson-Odoi is a doubt with a shoulder drawback and defender Nicolo Savona is predicted to return later in February from a knee harm.
Neco Williams is suspended for receiving a pink card in opposition to Palace, so Luca Netz might substitute the full-back, having arrived from Borussia Monchengladbach.
Goalkeeper John Victor and striker Chris Wooden are out with long-term knee accidents and towering Napoli loanee Lorenzo Lucca might make his debut in assault.
Leeds United v Forest predicted line ups
Leeds United beginning XI: Karl Darlow, James Justin, Joe Rodon, Pascal Struijk, Jayden Bogle, Ethan Ampadu, Ilia Gruev, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Brenden Aaronson, Wilfried Gnonto
Nottingham Forest beginning XI: Stefan Ortega, Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Luca Netz, Ryan Yates, Omari Hutchinson, Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White, Douglas Luiz, Dan Ndoye, Igor Jesus
Leeds v Forest: TV channel, on-line dwell streams
Kick-off on Friday is at 20:00 GMT (15:00 ET / 12:00 PT), with dwell protection within the UK on Sky Sports activities Fundamental Occasion, Sky Sports activities Premier League and Sky Sports activities Extremely.
By way of Now TV, Sky Sports activities prices £14.99 for a day membership, £28 a month for a 12-month membership or £34.99 a month with no contract.
Sky Sports activities memberships embrace entry to all 12 dwell Sky Sports activities channels and Sky Sports activities+, which gives dwell streams and a devoted channel.
Streaming is offered on an unlimited number of gadgets by way of the Sky GO app.
Leeds v Nottingham Forest stats
- Leeds have gained their final three Premier League house video games in opposition to Nottingham Forest (1996, 1999 and 2023) and scored in every of their 25 top-flight house matches within the fixture
- Farke’s aspect have gained all 4 of their Premier League evening matches at Elland Street this season (19:30 or later), most lately beating Palace 4-1 in December
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored 9 Premier League targets this season, solely twice earlier than reaching double figures in a single marketing campaign (13 in 2019/20, 16 in 2020/21)
- The final Englishman to attain 10 league targets of their first season with Leeds was Matt Smith in 2013/14 (12 within the Championship)
- Solely Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister (31) has had extra pictures with out scoring than Leeds’ Pascal Struijk (22) within the division this season, with Struijk accumulating the very best anticipated targets complete with out a aim thus far (2.32)
- After a run of six defeats in seven Premier League video games throughout October and November (W1), Leeds have misplaced two of their final 11 for the reason that begin of December (W3 D6)
- Forest wish to full a league double over Leeds for the primary time since 2013/14, and for simply the second time ever within the top-flight, after 1995/96
- They’ve misplaced one in every of their final 15 Premier League video games in opposition to promoted sides (W9 D5), struggling a 1-0 house defeat in opposition to Sunderland earlier this season
- An unbeaten run of their final 4 Premier League video games (W2 D2) is their longest sequence with out defeat this season, final going longer between December and January final season (8)
- Solely backside aspect Wolves (6.7%) have a decrease shot conversion price than Nottingham Forest within the Premier League this season (8.5%). Forest ranked joint-Sixth in that respect within the competitors final season (12.5%)
- Morgan Gibbs-White has both scored (3) or assisted (1) a aim in 4 of his final 5 Premier League appearances, in addition to scoring Forest’s winner in opposition to Leeds in November
