Leeds United took a huge step toward Premier League safety with a convincing 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on Friday night, a result that underlined why the fixture had been billed as a survival showdown by SoftFootball ahead of kick-off.
Having been heavily beaten at home by Arsenal in their previous outing, also covered by SoftFootball, Daniel Farke’s side responded with intensity, control and a cutting edge when it mattered most.
The atmosphere reflected the stakes, and Leeds fed off it from the opening minutes. Their urgency down the flanks, particularly on the left through Gabriel Gudmundsson and Noah Okafor, quickly unsettled Forest.
That pressure eventually told in the 26th minute when Ilia Gruev spotted Jayden Bogle’s forward run and delivered a perfectly weighted long ball that the wing-back finished confidently to give the hosts the lead.
Forest barely had time to regroup before Leeds struck again. James Justin surged into the area and, after his initial attempt was blocked, kept his composure to find Okafor, who tapped home from close range to make it 2-0.
Forest had moments of resistance, forcing Karl Darlow into action through Nicolás Domínguez, but Leeds remained the sharper side and carried greater threat. Any lingering doubt was removed shortly after the restart.
Once again Gruev was the provider, this time delivering a teasing ball toward the near post that Dominic Calvert-Lewin cleverly chested into the net for his 10th league goal of the season. It was a moment of improvisation that summed up Leeds’ confidence on the night.
Forest did manage a late consolation when debutant Lorenzo Lucca powered in a header from Omari Hutchinson’s cross in the 86th minute, but the contest had long been decided.
Sean Dyche’s decision to field 19-year-old Zach Abbott at right-back drew scrutiny as Leeds repeatedly exploited that side, while the early withdrawal of Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi further blunted Forest’s hopes.
The win, shared by the club’s official X account, lifts Leeds to 29 points, nine clear of the relegation zone, and marks their fourth straight Friday night home victory in the league. Forest remain on 26 points and now face renewed pressure as the survival battle tightens.
