Leeds United stamped their authority on the race for Premier League safety with a comfortable, rain-drenched 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on Friday.
WATCH — Leeds vs Nottingham Forest full match replay
Leeds dialed up a 2-0 halftime lead an extended their advantage to three shortly after the break as Daniel Farke’s men improve to 4W-6D-2L since the calendar turned to December. Ilia Gruev had two assists and Jayden Bogle, Noah Okafor, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored for Leeds, whose 29 points are now nine clear of the bottom three.
They are also three points clear of Sean Dyche’s Forest, who got a debut goal from giant Napoli loanee Lorenzo Lucca to spoil Karl Darlow’s clean sheet in the 86th minute.
Leeds back in their proper place
Daniel Farke’s team is strong, and boy have they been unlucky at times this season. Their now nine-point lead over the bottom three feels more befitting of a newly-promoted team that is usually even at worst in open play and has some savvy playmakers. Leeds came into the game with a 214-208 shot advantage over opponents in open play but a -11 goal difference in the run of play as they’ve scored 7.68 fewer goals than their xG and conceded 4.79 more goals than their xGA. The thing about Leeds is they’re just doing the jobs and following the game plan, and this go-round Farke’s plans are working out well. Most of Calvert-Lewin’s goals are just going to grimy areas and doing what the center forward’s supposed to do in those places, and Leeds players — unlike Forest’s — are generally putting the ball in places where the forwards have a chance to score. It’s working and at times it’s even been pretty darn attractive, but the steadiness of leaders like Ethan Ampadu and Pascal Struijk is standing out as Leeds work toward ensuring another season in the Premier League.
What’s next?
Leeds go to Chelsea at 2:30pm ET Tuesday, then visit Birmingham City on February 15 in the FA Cup.
Forest host Wolves at 2:30pm Wednesday before a February 19 trip to Fenerbahce in a first leg of the Europa League knockout phase playoffs round.
Leeds vs Nottingham Forest final score: 3-1
Jayden Bogle 26', Noah Okafor 30', Dominic Calvert-Lewin 49', Lorenzo Lucca 86'
Lorenzo Lucca goal — Leeds 3-1 Forest
New face but a familiar goal for both Forest and Dyche.
A cross is swung-in from the left and big Lorenzo Lucca, on loan from Napoli, powers a header inside Darlow’s near post.
Forest sub
Luca Netz will make his debut, replacing 19-year-old right back Zach Abbott.
The youngster didn’t have his best days on the ball but he played bigger than his reported 5'11" size and was strong in defense.
Subs
Forest have already made a pair of changes and now here come two more.
Omari Hutchinson and Lorenzo Lucca entered earlier for Dominguez and Jesus, and now Dan Ndoye and Ryan Yates will replace Hudson-Odoi and Gibbs-White.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin goal — Leeds 3-0 Nottingham Forest
There go to the comeback hosts for the visitors.
Elliot Anderson is harried and his cross is poor. Leeds need little to turn it into a dangerous chance.
Gruev’s on the assist list again with a flashed cross that is chested past Stefan Ortega by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Halftime — Leeds United 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Forest huffed and puffed but it’s all so clunky in the final third, where the crosses aren’t finding their mark and there’s little else going in favor of the Tricky Trees.
Sean Dyche can look to some new faces on the bench in Lorenzo Lucca and Luca Netz. He needs goals, but their two-goal deficit is more about poor defending.
Noah Okafor goal — Leeds 2-0 Nottingham Forest
Brenden Aaronson uses his body well to turn into the 18, and soon the ball is on the foot of James Justin.
The right-sided man’s cross is blocked but his second is perfect for Noah Okafor to slash home from inside of the penalty spot.
Jayden Bogle goal — Leeds 1-0 Nottingham Forest
No one tracks Jayden Bogle as he marauds down the right to reach Ilia Gruev’s long diagonal ball over the top of the Forest back line.
Bogle has time to let the ball drop and eye up his shot to the near post of Stefan Ortega.
Forest’s back line just absent!
Leeds hit the bar!
Dominic Calvert-Lewin rises to meet a free kick and his header clashes off the bar.
0-0 into the 24th minute.
All Leeds, then Forest break
Leeds had the ball for two shots and seemingly every pass of the first 6-7 minutes, but Forest have an opportunity on the counter.
Morgan Gibbs-White lays off for Callum Hudson-Odoi, and his shot/cross goes to Karl Darlow.
Then Nico Dominguez takes a knockdown from Gibbs-White and sees one shot blocked and a second saved by a flying Darlow.
0-0, 11'.
Leeds lineup
Darlow, Bogle, Gudmundsson, Rodon, Struijk, Justin, Ampadu, Gruev, Aaronson, Okafor, Calvert-Lewin
Nottingham Forest lineup
Ortega, Aina, Morato, Milenkovic, Abbott, Sangare, Anderson, Dominguez, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Jesus
Leeds vs Nottingham Forest preview
The Premier League weekend kicks off Friday with a tasty edge of the drop zone battle between Leeds United and Nottingham Forest at Elland Road.
Both Daniel Farke’s hosts and Sean Dyche’s visitors are on 26 points, three points above the bottom three and in danger of rejoining the relegation scrap with a run of bad fixtures.
WATCH — Leeds vs Nottingham Forest
Leeds are 1W-1D-2L since the end of their seven-match Premier League unbeaten run that pulled them out of the bottom three. Their last four losses have come against teams in Europe and a win over Chelsea and a pair of draws with Liverpool show a team with great potential.
Forest have also pulled clear of the drop zone thanks to a recent run, with a pair of wins and pair of draws over their past four Premier League games.
Both teams’ success has been necessary as West Ham United have collected enough points to keep the race to avoid 18th place more interesting, and a loser this weekend would be right to feel uneasy.
Leeds team news, focus
QUESTIONABLE: Lukas Nmecha (hamstring), Jaka Bikol (thigh), Daniel James (hamstring)
Nottingham Forest team news, focus
OUT: Neco Williams (suspension), Matz Sels (groin), Nicola Savona (knee), John Victor (knee), Chris Wood (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Callum Hudson-Odoi (groin)
Leeds vs Nottingham Forest prediction
Leeds have been a lot better at home than away but Forest are a consistent bunch which has adopted Dyche’s “anywhere, anytime” mentality. Forest have more difference makers but there’s no way to discount Leeds’ last couple of very impressive months for a promoted side. Leeds 1-1 Nottingham Forest.
How to watch Leeds vs Nottingham Forest live updates, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 3pm ET Friday
Venue: Elland Road — Beeston, Leeds
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch on USA Network
