Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest secured a huge win on Sunday, knocking back perceived relegation rivals Leeds United 3-1 at the City Ground.
Leeds took the early lead through Lukas Nmecha but it lasted only a couple of minutes via an Ibrahima Sangare equalizer.
WATCH — Nottingham Forest v Leeds United full match replay
A Morgan Gibbs-White header gave Forest the lead in the 68th minute and Elliot Anderson salted away the points from the penalty spot early in stoppage time.
The win improves Forest’s point total to nine points, though they stay in 19th place for the moment. Perhaps more important, Forest pulls Leeds further into the relegation fight. Leeds’ 11 points are one more than 18th place West Ham.
Forest’s finishing flattens languishing Leeds
The entirety of Sean Dyche’s first Premier League win as Forest boss can be summed up in three words: Take your chances. Sangare cleaned up a loose ball, Gibbs-White showed poise with a pretty header, and Anderson buried his penalty to make it three goals on 2.47 xG. Forest put six of their 14 attempts on target and that’s the stuff that’ll make the difference in their bid to rise up the table in a hurry. Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, and Anderson were all influential as were Sangare and fullbacks Nicolo Savona and Neco Williams — Matz Sels has had much busier days in goal. Part of that is down to Leeds, though. They got a very nice goal which included their top forward pieces but their top group isn’t super strong and their depth is almost non-existent. Good news for American fans as Brenden Aaronson registered an assist and is in the form of his Premier League life, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Daniel James, Joel Piroe, and Jack Harrison were all ice cold off the bench with Piroe the only one really lacking for opportunity over the last month.. Daniel Farke needs this international break.
What’s next?
Forest go to Anfield on November 22 for a 10am ET kickoff, a day before Leeds host Aston Villa at 9am.
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds final score: 3-1
Lukas Nmecha 13', Ibrahima Sangare 15', Morgan Gibbs-White 68', Elliot Anderson pen 90+1'
Elliot Anderson penalty — Forest 3-1 Leeds
Hammered finish.
Nottingham Forest penalty
Hutchinson skips in front of Leeds sub Jack Harrison and is bundled down in the box.
Straight-forward pen at first view.
Morgan Gibbs-White goal — Nottingham Forest 2-1 Leeds
Beauty.
Murillo’s diagonal switch is long and gorgeous, and Omari Hutchinson takes it down with a plan.
Hutchinson’s cross to the front of goal is perfect, and Gibbs-White’s delicate, glanced header into the corner has put the Tricky Trees in front heading into the final 22 minutes plus stoppage.
Halftime — Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds United
Sean Dyche will feel Forest should lead by a few, not be level, but Nmecha’s goal was good and Leeds have a foothold at the City Ground.
Possession may be 50-50 but Forest have taken 10 shots to Leeds’ one, with four of those shots reaching Lucas Perri. He’s seen 2.48 xGOT.
Ibrahima Sangare goal — Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds
A Forest shot is blocked centrally, and Ibrahima Sangare races onto the loose ball to hammer home an equalizer.
Lukas Nmecha goal — Nottingham Forest 0-1 Leeds
An assist for USMNT man Brenden Aaronson as Leeds get a goal from a striker. Lukas Nmecha reaps the rewards with a decent finish, and it all started with a steal by Noah Okafor. Those are all names Daniel Farke loves seeing involved in a goal.
Nottingham Forest lineup
Sels, Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Dominguez, Igor Jesus
Leeds United lineup
Perri, Gudmundsson, Bijol, Rodon, Bogle, Ampadu, Okafor, Stach, Longstaff, Aaronson, Nmecha
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
OUT: Douglas Luiz (hamstring), Ola Aina (undisclosed), Dilane Bakwa (undisclosed), Oleksandr Zinchenko (groin), Chris Wood (knee), Angus Gunn (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Callum Hudson-Odoi (knock)
Leeds United team news, focus
OUT: Harry Gray (hip) | QUESTIONABLE: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (adductor), Sebastiaan Bornauw (knee)
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds preview
Sean Dyche, Forest’s third manager of the young season, has the Tricky Trees looking better of late with consecutive draws with Manchester United in the Premier League and Sturm Graz in the Europa League. Yet he sees his team in the bottom three, four points behind 17th place.
Leeds have built a four-point cushion over the drop zone in their first season back in the Premier League, but will be seated on the precipice should they fare poorly in this road trip.
Daniel Farke’s men have handled lower-third competition in an uneven manner, beating Wolves and West Ham but losing at Burnley. They’ve lost three-of-four and this is far and away their easiest fixture of the next month with Villa, Man City, Chelsea, and Liverpool all on the Premier League docket over the next 30 days or so.
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds prediction
Leeds have been unlucky in front of goal and in their own box, defying xG to the tune of 9.12 xG+xA to the bad of their nine goals scored and 17 conceded in Premier League play. Forest will find themselves tested both by the midweek trip to Austria and the Leeds attack. It’s a tough fixture to predict, to be honest — Dyche vs Farke. Who ya got? Nottingham Forest 2-1 Leeds United.
How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Leeds live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 9am ET Sunday
Venue: City Ground — Nottingham
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
