EVANS RELISHING FOREST CLASH

EVANS RELISHING FOREST CLASH

The head coach looks ahead to Saturday's visit of Nottingham Forest...

Steve Evans believes Saturday’s visit of Nottingham Forest has all the ingredients of being a great occasion, as two of English football’s biggest names go head-to-head at Elland Road.

Both sides come into the game looking to extend their respective unbeaten runs, with United now three games without defeat in all competitions and having not lost on home soil in the last six outings in LS11.

Forest, meanwhile, are 12 games unbeaten in the Championship and have moved four points above Leeds in the table as a result, despite exiting the Emirates FA Cup at home to Watford last Saturday.

Evans is now relishing the Elland Road clash in front of an anticipated 25,000-strong crowd, with the head coach well aware of the two clubs’ proud histories.

“I always want to deeply respect the history of football clubs, and these two – particularly ours – are known worldwide,” he said.

“It’s two former English champions – one of them being the club with the last English manager to win the top league.

“Forest, of course, are former European champions. These are two clubs striving to be back at the top level.

“If it was to be picked neutrally by all of the fans in the Premier League, I’m sure the likes of Leeds United and Nottingham Forest would be in that league.

“It’s got the ingredients of being a really great game on Saturday. We’re in good form and so are they – let the best team win!”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship clash, Evans added: “I see it as being a tough game. They’ve signed some good players.

“Gardner makes them strong and the boy Tesche makes them evidently stronger in the middle of the park after a terrific loan spell at Birmingham last season.

“He’s resurrected himself back at Forest – he’s a good player. But they’re a good side and they have good options.

“They’re on a good run but the game they probably deserved to lose was the one we drew at their place.

“I thought we dominated from start to finish and Forest allowed us to have all of the ball.”

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