A win for either team on Friday night would open up a nine-point buffer above the relegation zone. Both sides are in decent form, with Leeds only losing two of their past 11 league games and Nottingham Forest enjoying a season's best four-match unbeaten run. Leeds manager Daniel Farke was phlegmatic after his side's first defeat in six home games last weekend, a 4-0 thumping by league leaders Arsenal, and he believes 12 more points will be enough to stay up.
The result of this game between two relegation-threatened sides, currently separated only by goals scored, could do much for the mood in both camps. A win for either team on Friday night would open up a nine-point buffer above the relegation zone. Lose, and that gap could be down to three by Saturday evening.
Both sides are in decent form, with Leeds only losing two of their past 11 league games and Nottingham Forest enjoying a season's best four-match unbeaten run.
Leeds upping the ante
Leeds manager Daniel Farke was phlegmatic after his side's first defeat in six home games last weekend, a 4-0 thumping by league leaders Arsenal, and he believes 12 more points will be enough to stay up.
"Three wins and three draws, six positive results from 14 games," he said on Thursday. "I would back my players to get six positive results."
He has every reason to be confident. During their considerable improvement over the past two months, Leeds have beaten Chelsea at Elland Road and held Liverpool, twice, and Manchester United to draws.
Since their change of formation to 3-5-2 from the start of that run, Leeds have significantly increased their work-rate and intensity – which were already high beforehand.
They're covering almost 2km more per game from the beginning of December onwards – for an average of 115.8km – and are closing down their opponents with greater regularity. The Whites rank second in the Premier League for both metrics.
That high tempo is likely to be aided by the enhanced atmosphere at a night match. Leeds have won all four of their Premier League kick-offs at 7.30pm or later this season, with the highlight being a 4-1 thumping of Crystal Palace before Christmas when the energy of the crowd translated into on-pitch dominance.
Farke admits: "I'm a football romantic, I love the atmosphere under the floodlights at Elland Road when everyone is buzzing. The good record is no guarantee but we hope for a very special atmosphere again."
Improving Forest's unwanted record
Nottingham Forest have taken eight points from their past four matches, including consecutive away wins. They came from behind in November's reverse fixture against Leeds to earn a first Premier League victory under head coach Sean Dyche.
It means Forest are looking to complete the league double over Leeds for only the second time in the top flight, after 1995-96.
However, while Forest have the best head-to-head points tally among the current bottom six sides, with 12 points and only one defeat from seven meetings, they hold an unwanted record at Elland Road.
In 25 top-flight fixtures there, Nottingham Forest have never kept a clean sheet. It's the second longest such away streak in top-flight history, behind Birmingham City's run of conceding in all 37 visits to Blackburn Rovers.
Category: General Sports
