Kick-off: 1400, 05/02/2023
Stadium: Elland Road
TV: Sky Sports
Nottingham Forest have shown real improvement throughout their first Premier League campaign in over 20 years and can edge out Leeds.
The Reds are unbeaten in their last six top-flight fixtures at the City Ground, including wins over Liverpool, Crystal Palace and Leicester.
Punters can get 33/20 for another home victory here and that is our initial Nottingham Forest vs Leeds prediction.
Nottingham Forest Odds
Forest had their limitations exposed when beaten 3-0 and 2-0 by Manchester United in the EFL Cup semi-finals but were far from disgraced in the second leg at Old Trafford.
Brennan Johnson and Emmanuel Dennis both missed great first-half chances, as Steve Cooper’s side adopted a physical approach to try and upset their hosts.
“We are overall disappointed we haven’t got through because when you get this far you want to go one step further,” said Cooper.
“If we score the clear-cut chances in the first half, or even one of them, then it is a different game, but United over the two legs have been far better than us.
“We shouldn’t lose sight of the fact we have got to a semi-final and how many clubs would have loved to have been on the stage we have been on in the last couple of games? The first time in 30 years.
“This time last season, we were 10th in the Championship, so for us to try and compete in the Premier League and get to semi-finals tells us that the club is on an upward projection.”
Forest continued their extensive recruitment drive last month by bringing in Keylor Navas, Jonjo Shelvey, Chris Wood, Danilo, Gustavo Scarpa and Felipe.
There is plenty of experience in that bunch and Shelvey and Wood are proven Premier League performers.
The Reds don’t tend to enjoy convincing victories, though, with four of their five wins in this competition coming by just one goal.
It is 16/5 for them to prevail by the narrowest of margins again here in the Nottingham Forest vs Leeds odds.
Last Forest line-up: Hennessey, Williams, McKenna, Boly, Lodi, Mangala, Johnson, Freuler, Dennis, Scarpa, Surridge.
Leeds United Odds
Leeds boss Jesse Marsch will also be happy with his club’s business in the January transfer window.
United paid out £35million for striker Georginio Rutter from Hoffenheim and captured USA midfielder Weston McKennie on loan from Juventus.
Defender Max Wober joined from RB Salzburg and the Whites signed a player for the future in 18-year-old centre-back Diogo Monteiro from Swiss Super League side Servette.
Leeds have only lost one of their last seven games in all competitions after beating Accrington 3-1 away in the FA Cup.
Marsch was delighted to see injury-plagued forward Patrick Bamford provide two assists on his first start since October.
“I think it’s a huge step forward,” said the manager. “It didn’t have the pace of what a Premier League match has, but still 75 minutes for him at this point, I think is gigantic.
“So, it gives us a chance to really start to push Patrick to be the player we know he can be.
“It certainly gives us more weapons. We have weapons now and that’s fun for a manager to work with.”
United are still just one point above the relegation zone, though, and only five of their 18 points have come on the road.
Let’s add 5/1 for Draw HT/Forest FT to our Nottingham Forest vs Leeds betting tips.
Last Leeds line-up: Meslier, Firpo, Koch, Kristensen, Wober, Roca, Harrison, Sinisterra, Greenwood, Bamford, Rutter.
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