Friday 6th February 8:00pm | Elland Road
Friday night football returns to Elland Road with a fixture that carries significant weight at the wrong end of the Premier League table. The Whites host the Tricky Trees in a clash that offers the hosts temporary restbite, with the chance to move nine points clear of the drop zone, at least until Saturday afternoon when West Ham visit Turf Moor. Currently sitting level on 26 points, Nottingham Forest are equally keen to put distance between themselves and West Ham in 18th place
History is firmly on the side of the Whites; they have won their last three Premier League home meetings with Nottingham Forest dating back to encounters in 1996, 1999, and 2023. Furthermore, across 25 top-flight home matches against the "Tricky Trees," Leeds have never failed to find the back of the net. That record provides a comforting statistic for the Elland Road faithful, but the challenge of a Sean Dyche style set-up cannot be underestimated.
Only bottom side Wolves (6.7%) have a lower shot conversion rate than Nottingham Forest in the top flight this season (8.5%), leading Dyche to secure the services of Italian international Lorenzo Lucca on loan from Napoli, with an option to buy in the summer. Standing at 6ft 7in, the towering centre-forward is a physical presence designed to disrupt defenses and offer a focal point in the final third. Lucca is expected to lead the line on Friday, adding a new dimension to Forest's attack that the Leeds backline will be desperate to contain.
In fact, Forest have been active in the market, and could thrust several other new recruits straight into their starting line-up. With regular keepers Matz Sels and John Victor both ruled out through injury, the door has opened for a debut for shot-stopper Stefan Ortega. The former Manchester City goalkeeper arrived for a bargain £500,000 and is widely predicted to start between the sticks. Deadline-day signing Luca Netz, who joined from Borussia Mönchengladbach for just £2m, is also predicted to start. The left-back’s inclusion is almost a necessity, with Neco Williams suspended and Nicolo Savona injured, forcing Dyche to shuffle his pack immediately. Sean Dyche also warned that winger Callum Hudson‑Odoi ais rated doubtful for the bottom of the table six-pointer having picked up a shoulder injury.
Manager Daniel Farke provided a mixed bag of injury updates during his pre-match press conference on Wednesday lunchtime, offering both relief and concern. German international midfielder Anton Stach is confirmed to miss out due to a hip injury, a blow that will see him sidelined for approximately 10 to 14 days, potentially stretching into the FA Cup tie against Birmingham City, meaning a possible recall for Sean Longstaff, who is fully fit after his calf injury. On a more positive note, Farke confirmed that Jaka Bijol has returned to team training following a hamstring issue.
While it may be too soon to thrust the Slovenian international back into a starting role after three games out, his presence on the bench would be a welcome boost. Similarly, versatile defender James Justin is available after fears of a broken toe were allayed, with the injury revealed to be merely a bruise. Supporting forward Lukas Nmecha remains the only other notable absentee, still working his way back from a hamstring strain, though Farke suggested he isn't too far from a return. Once again Dominic Calvert-Lewin will lead the line, supported by either Okafor or Aaronson.
We dont have to win, but of course it would be ideal. We have to bounce back with a good performance in this game, which sometimes doesnt always get you a win, but it would show we still have the fight and ability to still get what we need from the rest of the season. If we put in a poor performance then that doesnt bode well for the rest of the season.
