Nottingham forest vs Leeds united lineups
The latest English Premier League matchup features two teams battling for survival, with Leeds United and Nottingham Forest both desperate for three points. Their clash will be played on April 4 at Elland Road.
With ten games remaining, Leeds is just one point above the relegation zone and faces a tough run of fixtures. Meanwhile, Steve Cooper’s Forest remains winless in eight matches, with only one team above them in the table.
Javi Gracia’s Starting XI
Javi Gracia has a very tough task tonight as Leeds United is set to take on Nottingham Forest at Elland Road. After a disastrous 6-1 thrashing by Liverpool on Monday night, Gracia knows that he has to win at least two of his last three games to keep his relegation fears to a minimum.
As a result, he is likely to make several changes to his starting lineup for this game. The first of those changes is likely to be at the back. Illan Meslier has been the side’s first-choice goalkeeper all season, and he is likely to continue in that role against Forest.
Nevertheless, Gracia will also want to use his midfield as much as possible to try and keep pace with the top-four contenders. Tyler Adams is recovering from hamstring surgery, and although it is not certain whether he will be fit for this game, having him back on the team would be beneficial.
Rodrigo is another player who Gracia is expected to use. The Spaniard has scored 11 league goals for Forest this season, and he is a good option to start.
The 32-year-old is expected to play on the left of a four-person frontline and should be able to find space to operate in this position. Rodrigo is a good striker and should be able to provide the firepower that Forest needs against Leeds.
Leeds is on the good side, and they will be looking to put in a strong performance against Forest today. They have stuttered this season, but some positive signs remain.
They had a great win against Everton at the start of March and have picked up some points since then. They sat in 17th place, above the drop zone on goal difference alone.
With a huge weekend ahead, both Leicester and Everton have a chance to boost their chances of staying up. Follow our coverage of the games on Mail Sport, or head over to talkSPORT for EXCLUSIVE live commentary from Craven Cottage.
Leeds has been struggling this season to score goals, so they must get their attacking game going against Forest. Whether they can do that will be closely watched by fans.
Forest’s Starting XI
After losing 4-1 to Arsenal on the weekend, Leeds is in a serious situation and needs to get three points as soon as possible. They are currently in the relegation zone, so they must win this match to avoid getting dragged into that position.
Forest comes into this game off the back of a 1-1 draw against Wolves at the weekend and will be looking to bounce back from the loss. They have not won a game in the league since February, and a victory over the Whites would see them move up into 13th place on the table.
Javi Gracia saw his side thumped 4-1 by Arsenal on the weekend, and he will likely make some changes to the starting lineup. Wilfried Gnonto, Tyler Adams, Adam Forshaw and Stuart Dallas missed the weekend, while Max Wober was not deemed fit enough to feature.
Meanwhile, Rodrigo, Weston McKennie and Liam Cooper remained on the bench for Saturday’s draw against Bournemouth, but they could all be given a run out against Forest in this crucial matchup. The trio could play a role in central defence or the attack, where Patrick Bamford and Georginio Rutter are options.
The home side started the game well and enjoyed a lot of possession, but the visitors took the lead when Brennan Johnson volleyed in a fantastic goal from outside the box. It looked like Leeds would struggle to level the scoreline, but the visitors did not let their opponents off the hook as they kept pushing forward with more and more pressure in the first half.
There was no need to panic, though, as the Forest defence did what it does best – keep out the opposition. They kept out several shots from the Leeds side, preventing any threatening moments from taking their advantage away.
The second half started with more pressure on the Leeds side, but Forest could not break through and squander their advantage. They could not create much of an opening for themselves as the visitors kept and played the ball well. Neco Williams squandered a good opportunity to break into the Leeds area in the final half minutes. He naively attempted to shoot from 30 yards out, but it went high and wide of the goal.
Forest’s Subs
Despite recent results and the addition of two key signings, centre-back Felipe and goalkeeper Keylor Navas, Forest remains under pressure to avoid relegation. They’re currently in 14th and are only one point above the bottom three. They face Leeds United on Tuesday night, and the match will likely be a key game in their battle to stay away from the relegation zone.
Forest has struggled for form on the road this season, but Steve Cooper will hope his side can find some consistency against a Leeds side who are only six without a victory in the Premier League. A win in this game would put them in a strong position to take advantage of the drop zone’s collapse, with only Everton and Wolves left ahead of them on goal difference.
The Reds rely heavily on the returning Danilo and Emmanuel Dennis to provide attacking support. They should also be wary of Leeds’ ability to control possession in their half, which could make for an interesting clash.
Several midfielders have started Forest’s games this season, but Remo Freuler stands out from the pack with his ability to control play. Whether winning the ball back or playing an intelligent pass, he can turn a game around.
It’s a lively start to the match, with the hosts creating chances at every turn. Neco Williams has a decent first-half chance when he meets Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross, but he can’t quite keep his shot down. He also fails to test Illan Meslier, who keeps his side in the game with a good save from a header.
As the game enters the final ten minutes, Forest’s scoring chances improve dramatically. The home team create several chances, and they go close several times.
Eventually, Forest found the breakthrough they needed thanks to a superb second-half strike from Brennan Johnson. It was his third Premier League goal of the season, and he’s proving to be an important part of the Reds’ attacking line.
Forest’s other forwards will also need to step up to help the club maintain their challenge for survival. Despite the positive result, Forest has still been hit hard by injuries. Their last four games have seen five players out of action, including Tyler Adams and Wilfried Gnonto. The two have been out since the 2-2 draw against Manchester City, and they’ll be keen to get fit as soon as possible.
Leeds’ Starting XI
Leeds has a huge matchup against Nottingham Forest on Tuesday as both sides are battling to stay away from the bottom three of the Premier League. The Whites are currently 17th in the table, level on points with 18th-placed Everton, while Nottingham Forest is in 15th, just one point ahead.
The Whites are coming off a disastrous defeat to Arsenal at the weekend, but manager Javi Gracia will hope to bounce back from that performance and put their current form in check by beating Nottingham Forest at Elland Road. The Spaniard has had a mixed start to his Leeds United tenure, picking up two wins and a draw in his first six games as head coach.
He has a few decisions with his starting lineup against Forest, especially in the midfield. Tyler Adams will likely be out with an injury for the rest of the season, so the team must find a replacement. Adam Forshaw and Stuart Dallas are also out, so the centre of midfield has a few issues from now on.
With both teams struggling for survival, the game will be crucial to their progress this season and will be a must-see fixture. Stream this Premier League clash live with talkSPORT!
Despite a poor season start, Forest has been doing very well at home. After a disastrous away run which saw them lose seven out of eight matches, they have won their last two at the City Ground, including a 1-1 draw with Wolves on Saturday.
On the other hand, Leeds has been struggling on the road this season. They have only managed to pick up six points out of a possible 30 on the road this season, and they have been able to beat everyone outside the top ten since January 2.
Both teams will want to win this match to boost their chances of staying in the league. The Whites are fighting to stay off the bottom three of the table, while the Reds are looking to move away from the relegation zone and get back to winning ways.
