Leeds United take on Nottingham Forest this weekend in a game that is shaping up to be very crucial for both sides at this point of the season. The Whites are in 16th place just above the relegation zone.
Forest are in the relegation zone having won just one league game this entire season. The club’s owner has already sacked two managers this season – Nuno Espirito Santo was gone early in the campaign, and Ange Postecoglou only lasted eight games.
Sean Dyche has an uphill task to guide this team to safety this season. Forest are the joint-worst attack in the Premier League with just seven goals scored, and are joint-third for most goals conceded this season.
Both teams go into this weekend with similar form; Leeds have just two wins in their last 10 games in all competitions. Nottingham Forest have just six points this season, with their last league win coming in August. This game is a huge chance for either side to grab three points in their bid for survival.
Leeds United have upper hand ahead of Nottingham Forest game
Daniel Farke’s side already have a huge advantage ahead of Sunday’s game; they will get more days of rest since they played last weekend. Forest on the other hand, have a game on Thursday in the Europa League.
Leeds get a whole week to rest and prepare for this weekend’s game but Sean Dyche only has 72 hours after they face Sturm Graz midweek.
| Opponent | Competition | Result | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland | Premier League | Loss | 0 – 1 |
| Newcastle United | Premier League | Loss | 0 – 2 |
| Bournemouth | Premier League | Loss | 0 – 2 |
Forest are also dealing with injury problems as confirmed by Dyche recently. Douglas Luiz is being assessed after leaving the game against Manchester United this weekend. Callum Hudson Odoi is also a slight doubt for the upcoming game.
| Player | Condition |
|---|---|
| Ola Aina | Hamstring Injury |
| Dilane Bakwa | Knock / Muscle Injury |
| Oleksandr Zinchenko | Groin Injury |
| Chris Wood | Knee Injury |
| Callum Hudson-Odoi | Knock |
| Angus Gunn | Knee Injury |
| Douglas Luiz | Hamstring Injury (Ongoing Treatment) |
Former Leeds striker Chris Wood is also a doubt, but he could feature according to Sean Dyche. These three players are part of a growing list of injuries at Nottingham Forest – Oleksandr Zinchenko, Dilane Bakwa, Angus Gunn and Ola Aina are all out for this weekend’s game.
Daniel Farke needs to get his tactics spot on
The last time Leeds faced a team with limited rest days was when they beat West Ham. That game saw Farke give freedom to Brenden Aaronson to cause havoc in central areas to destabilize the Hammers. The switch worked to perfection and saw the American have his best game this season.
The Leeds boss needs to come up with something innovative once again if his side is to get a result away from home, where they have only won one game all season. At this point of the season, every result counts.
