Sunday 9th November 2:00pm | City Ground
Leeds United travel to the City Ground on Sunday for a crucial Premier League encounter against Nottingham Forest, looking to bounce back from last weekend’s heavy defeat at Brighton. With a demanding run of fixtures to follow against Aston Villa, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Liverpool, this game represents a vital opportunity for Daniel Farke’s side to regain momentum and push clear of the lower reaches of the table.
After struggling for control in midfield at the Amex, Farke may recall Anton Stach, who is edging back toward full fitness after a rib injury. The German could replace Ao Tanaka to partner Sean Longstaff and Brenden Aaronson in the middle, restoring balance and physicality to the side. Further forward, there is a race against time for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to recover from an adductor strain, with Farke confirming it will be a late decision. Joel Piroe and Lukas Nmecha are both on standby, while Dan James and Wilfried Gnonto are available again after returning to full training.
Farke’s side have been solid at home but their away form remains a concern, with four defeats from five and a lack of cutting edge in front of goal. The manager, however, played down talk of pressure ahead of this fixture. “Away at Nottingham is a difficult fixture,” he said. “They have high individual quality and are very competitive. Every point counts, and we know how important it is to be consistent.” He added, “It’s game day eleven and I’ve been asked seven times if it’s a must-win. What matters is our point average over the season. We just have to keep going.”
Forest, meanwhile, are still searching for their first league win under Sean Dyche but have shown signs of improvement. The new manager has already instilled his trademark intensity, setting his side up in a compact 4-2-3-1 system that emphasizes physicality, pressing, and quick transitions. Forest remain unbeaten in two testing home fixtures against Manchester United and Porto, and despite their poor run of form, they are expected to be a tough opponent on home soil. Their attacking threat will again centre on Morgan Gibbs-White, while Elliot Anderson’s energy in midfield provides drive and aggression.
Leeds’ defensive focus will be on tightening up after conceding three at Brighton, with Farke weighing his options between Pascal Struijk and Jaka Bijol at centre-back. The manager admitted his team “could have done better” last weekend but believes the squad’s mentality remains strong. “I wanted to sign players who have been at the top level and can handle difficult away grounds,” he explained. “You have to be self-critical but not let defeats sink you. I will back my players and they will back themselves.”
Leeds have not beaten Forest away in the top flight since 1971, and the hosts’ passionate home crowd is likely to make this another challenging afternoon. Yet with key players returning, a renewed determination to improve performances on the road, and a manager who continues to stress belief and discipline, Farke’s side will see this as a chance to reset their campaign. “We know we can get enough points with this group,” he said. “We just have to keep doing the right things.”
