Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Premier League clash between Nottingham Forest and Leeds United, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
With relegation from the Premier League a threat for both, Nottingham Forest‘s clash against visitors Leeds United at the City Ground on Sunday is sure to be a tense affair,
Sean Dyche is still searching for his first league win as boss of 19th-placed Forest, who arrive into the weekend’s matchup with six points, though a triumph on Sunday would put them just two points behind 16th-placed Leeds.
Match preview
Already on their third manager of 2025-26, the hosts look set to participate in an unforeseen relegation battle, with the club already 13 points worse off than at the same stage last season.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis will hope that his appointment of Dyche can help the team rediscover the defensive solidity that made them so difficult to beat under Nuno Espirito Santo, and they did manage to keep a clean sheet when they drew 0-0 with Sturm Graz in the Europa League on Thursday.
However, the Reds have conceded twice in each of the two Premier League games Dyche has overseen, losing 2-0 against Bournemouth on October 26 and drawing 2-2 with Manchester United on November 1.
Forest are winless in three matches, settling for stalemates twice, and they managed to score on just two occasions.
The club’s form at the City Ground has improved of late given they are undefeated in two at the stadium – they won once in that time – whereas they had lost their prior four at home.
Leeds were comprehensively beaten 3-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion on November 1, with two of their three shots inside the box produced in the 85th minute.
The Whites have failed to find the back of the net in two of their past three games, and they have also conceded at least two goals in four of their last five matches.
Daniel Farke will hope that his team can earn a second consecutive victory against Nottingham Forest, though they suffered three losses and were held to three draws in their previous six contests against their hosts.
Leeds head to the City Ground having won once in five matches, succumbing to defeat in three of their four most recent outings.
Since returning to the top flight, Farke’s side have lost five of their six fixtures on the road, with their only victory a 3-1 win against last-placed Wolverhampton Wanderers in September.
Nottingham Forest Premier League form:
Nottingham Forest form (all competitions):
Leeds United Premier League form:
Team News
Nottingham Forest full-backs Ola Aina and Oleksandr Zinchenko are making progress in their recoveries but will remain absent, so there is little reason to doubt the inclusion of Nicolo Savona and Neco Williams in a back four.
Striker Chris Wood has a chance of being available in some capacity, though Dyche has indicated that he is more likely to be ready to feature after the November international break, while Callum Hudson-Odoi is also set to return after the weekend.
Igor Jesus is certain to continue up front, and he may play ahead of a supportive cast consisting of Dan Ndoye, Morgan Gibbs-White and Nicolas Dominguez.
As for Leeds, defender Jayden Bogle has been declared fit following illness, and he is set to retain his place in the backline alongside Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol and Gabriel Gudmundsson.
Ethan Ampadu has been a bright spark for the team in midfield, and he is likely to be stationed alongside Sean Longstaff and Anton Stach.
If Dominic Calvert-Lewin does not pass a late fitness test, Daniel James, Lukas Nmecha and Noah Okafor could be selected in attack.
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Sels; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Ndoye, Gibbs-White, Dominguez; Jesus
Leeds United possible starting lineup:
Perri; Bogle, Rodon, Bijol, Gudmundsson; Longstaff, Ampadu, Stach; James, Nmecha, Okafor
We say: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Leeds United
With so much at stake for both, neither team are likely to play expansively at the City Ground, and the match could be decided by a single goal.
Dyche will be desperate to get his first win in the Premier League as boss, and considering Leeds have frequently been beaten on their travels, Sunday could be a strong opportunity for them to claim three points.
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