Nottingham Forest v Leeds predictions

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 2pm Sunday

Best bet

Nottingham Forest
1pt 13-8 bet365, Betfair, BoyleSports

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Team news

Nottingham Forest
Goalkeeper Keylor Navas could make his debut as Dean Henderson is injured, along with Morgan Gibbs-White, Giulian Biancone, Cheikhou Kouyate, Omar Richards, Moussa Niakhate and Taiwo Awoniyi. Jesse Lingard (Achilles) and Ryan Yates (illness) are also out but Jack Colback is fit and new signings Jonjo Shelvey, Felipe and Andre Ayew are available.

Leeds
Robin Koch is suspended and Rodrigo has joined Adam Forshaw, Archie Gray and Stuart Dallas on the sidelines. Liam Cooper, Crysencio Summerville and Tyler Adams have been passed fit and new signing Weston McKennie should be in the squad.

Match preview

Nottingham Forest lost 5-0 on aggregate to Manchester United in the EFL Cup semi-finals but their recent Premier League form has been encouraging and they can nab another crucial three points at home to Leeds.

Forest's fortunes at the City Ground should determine whether or not last season's Championship playoff winners avoid an immediate return to the second tier.

Their away results have been poor, with just three goals scored in ten top-flight road fixtures, but they have won to nil against West Ham, Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Leicester on their own patch and held Chelsea to a 1-1 draw on New Year's Day.

Bookmakers are struggling to split Forest and Leeds in the betting. Both clubs have significant injury absentees with Leeds missing top scorer Rodrigo, who has scored ten of their 26 league goals this season.

Patrick Bamford is back and exciting Italian teenager Wilfried Gnonto is establishing himself in the first team, scoring twice in the 5-2 FA Cup third-round replay victory over Cardiff. But Leeds were held to a goalless draw by Brentford in their last league game at Elland Road and may find Forest a tough nut to crack at the City Ground.

An extraordinary summer spending spree left Forest manager Steve Cooper with virtually an entirely new squad and January saw the arrivals of Paris St-Germain goalkeeper Keylor Navas, Newcastle pair Chris Wood and Jonjo Shelvey, defender Felipe and veteran forward Andre Ayew.

Integrating 29 new signings, and coping with the step up to the Premier League, must have felt like a daunting task for Cooper. But Forest have taken eight points from their first four league matches of 2023 to give themselves a little breathing space in the battle for survival.

Costa Rica cat Navas should go straight into the starting 11. Joining a Forest side who average 0.8 goals per game this season may be a culture shock for a man who has spent much of his career playing alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale, Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe but the Tricky Trees have looked solid defensively at home in the league.

Forest are unlikely to blow Leeds away but they are capable of grinding out a fifth home win of the campaign against visitors who have conceded 19 goals in nine away matches in the league.

Leeds held out for a goalless draw at Newcastle earlier this month, when they had one shot on target to their hosts' five. But they may take a more expansive approach on Sunday, seeing this fixture as a chance to pick up a rare win, and that could play into Forest's hands.

Key stat

Four of Nottingham Forest's five Premier League wins this season have been by a 1-0 scoreline.

Probable teams

Nottingham Forest (4-3-1-2): Navas; Aurier, Worrall, Boly, Lodi; Colback, Freuler, Mangala; Scarpa; Johnson, Wood
Subs: Williams, McKenna, Dennis, Ayew, Shelvey, Danilo, Felipe

Leeds (4-2-3-1): Meslier; Ayling, Wober, Cooper, Firpo; Adams, Roca; Aaronson, Gnonto, Harrison; Bamford
Subs: Kristensen, Sinisterra, McKennie, Greenwood, Rutter, Strujik, Summerville