Premier League
Nottingham Forest 3 (Sangaré 15’, Gibbs-White 67’, Anderson pen 90’)
Leeds United 1 (Nmecha 13’)
Forest: Sels (GK), Williams, Murillo, Sangaré (Yates 59’), Anderson, Gibbs-White (C) (Morato 88’), Ndoye, Domínguez (Hutchinson 59’), Jesus (Awoniyi 59’), Milenkovic, Savona. Subs not used: Victor (GK), Kalimuendo, Cunha, McAtee, Abbott.
Leeds: Perri (GK), Bogle, Gudmundsson (Harrison 82’), Ampadu (C), Rodon, Longstaff (Piroe 74’), Aaronson (James 74’), Nmecha (Calvert-Lewin 74’), Bijol (Struijk 82’), Stach, Okafor. Subs not used: Darlow (GK), Tanaka, Justin, Gruev.
Venue: City Ground
Attendance: 30,708
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Booked: Sangaré, Murillo (Forest) Longstaff (Leeds)
Leeds United fell to defeat away from home against Nottingham Forest despite taking the lead at the City Ground in the first half.
Ahead of kick-off, boss Daniel Farke made two changes to the side that faced Brighton & Hove Albion last time out, recalling Anton Stach to the starting lineup and giving the nod to Lukas Nmecha to lead the line.
Following an impeccably observed rendition of the Last Post on Remembrance Sunday, play got underway with Lucas Perri involved in the action early on, diving to his left to parry a Morgan Gibbs-White strike from the edge of the area.
As the Whites mounted a first meaningful attack of the afternoon, Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels had to be alert, scampering across his goal to gather an Ethan Ampadu long throw that had somehow evaded everyone in the middle.
If Perri’s intervention in the early moments was impressive, the Brazilian’s next involvement was outstanding. Ibrahim Sangaré’s initial strike had taken a wicked deflection and, despite being seated, the goalkeeper somehow reacted to claw the ball off the line before punching clear before a red shirt could pounce.
United would then take the lead moments later when Nmecha drilled a fierce strike into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
The move started with great tenacity from Noah Okafor who won the ball back inside the hosts’ half, releasing Brenden Aaronson. The American in turn found the striker who did the rest, firing home to put Farke’s side ahead.
The lead would be short lived, however, when Sangaré was well placed shortly afterwards to bundle in an immediate leveller.
The game then quietened down somewhat following what had been a frantic start, with neither side going close until Forest striker Igor Jesus glanced a back post header beyond the upright.
Barring a speculative effort from distance by Gibbs-White that was easy pickings for Perri, there was no further sights of goal before referee Jarred Gillett brought an attritional opening period to a close.
HALF TIME: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds United
Both sides emerged from the break unchanged and, similarly to the first half, the home side looked to force the issue early on when Dan Ndoye crossed low for the onrushing Jesus who would have put his team ahead, if not for a superb recovering block by Jayden Bogle.
A driving run from full-back Gabriel Gudmundsson then saw the Swedish international pick the ball up deep inside his own half and maraud all the way into the Forest box, cutting a dangerous ball back which was cut out by Nikola Milenkovic.
Despite the visitors beginning to enjoy longer spells of possession, Gibbs-White was well placed at the back post to meet an in-swinging delivery from substitute Omari Hutchinson and find the far corner.
Looking for a response, Farke turned to his dugout and made a triple change, introducing Daniel James, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Joël Piroe into the action with just over 15 minutes of normal time remaining.
Within moments, James went close to restoring parity as he sent a whipped strike curling towards the corner, only for Sels to parry the effort away.
Gudmundsson raced onto the loose ball, drilling a first-time delivery into the middle which Bogle was unable to react to and guide home from close range.
Final changes came as Pascal Struijk and Jack Harrison replaced Jaka Bijol and Gudmundsson respectively.
Leeds were throwing everything at a stubborn Reds defence searching for an equaliser, which included a header narrowly wide from Calvert-Lewin, but it would be the hosts who added a third courtesy of Elliot Anderson from the penalty spot.
The Whites will return to action after the international break as they welcome Aston Villa to Elland Road.
FULL TIME: Nottingham Forest 3-1 Leeds United
