Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest predictions and betting tips – Crunch clash at bottom

Leeds United and Nottingham Forest are outside the Premier League relegation zone, but neither team can start celebrating survival just yet.

This is an important game for both sides. The winner will move further clear of the bottom three, while the loser will be forced to spend a little longer looking over their shoulder.

• Choose a draw – 9/4 with Midnite
• Pick under 2.5 goals – 4/5 with Betfred
• Go for Morgan Gibbs-White to score any time – 7/2 with 247Bet

Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest odds

Find the latest Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest betting odds here. All odds are provided by our recommended football bookmakers and are subject to change.

Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest predictions

Try as they might, Leeds United and Nottingham Forest just cannot leave their relegation fears behind once and for all.

Forest edged further clear of the drop zone over the weekend, while Leeds have done similar over the last few matchdays. But until they are able to open up a significant cushion above the dreaded dotted line, both clubs will continue to be involved in the basement battle.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are doomed already and Burnley increasingly look set to follow them back to the Championship, but despite a 3-2 loss to Chelsea on Saturday, West Ham United in 18th are showing signs of life.

Leeds and Forest are both six points clear of Nuno Espirito Santo’s side at present, but that sort of lead is far from insurmountable with so much football still to be played.

Over the last couple of months, Leeds have really boosted their survival chances. From December 3 to January 26, Daniel Farke’s men lost just one of 10 Premier League games to pull themselves out of the bottom three.

Forest, for their part, have also showed resilience of late. They have now gone four games unbeaten in the league, including a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at the City Ground on Sunday.

Forest took an early lead against Oliver Glasner’s men, but one moment shortly before half-time turned the game on its head. Neco Williams handled the ball on the line, earning himself a red card and Palace a penalty which Ismaila Sarr converted.

Forest dug deep in the second period, though, restricting Palace to very little. Avoiding defeat in those circumstances was rightly seen as a positive by Dyche, who praised his players for the mentality and attitude they displayed with a numerical disadvantage. 

There were comparatively few positives for Farke to take from his team’s 4-0 demolition by Arsenal a day earlier, but Leeds can console themselves with the knowledge that they will not have to play a side of that quality every week.

Games against top-four contenders like Arsenal will not define Leeds’s season, so it is important that they move on quickly from that setback.

West Ham have a winnable game against Burnley on Saturday, but before then Leeds and Forest each have the opportunity to put more daylight between themselves and the relegation zone. Only one of them will be able to take it.

Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest betting tips

The Premier League weekend begins under the floodlights at Elland Road on Friday night.

Even game awaits

Leeds United may have lost to Arsenal last time out, but the Gunners and Newcastle United are the only opponents to have beaten the Whites since November.

Leeds have drawn plenty of matches in that time, sharing the points with Liverpool (twice), Brentford, Sunderland, Manchester United and Everton.

There is a decent chance there will be nothing separating Leeds and Nottingham Forest as well.

Dyche tends to view a point away from home as a good result no matter the opposition, so Forest will not take undue risks in pursuit of victory.

As for Leeds, a draw would keep them above Forest on goals scored and represent a recovery of sorts from that thrashing by Arsenal.

Choose a draw at 9/4 with Midnite

Cagey encounter likely

It is not unfair to say that the most entertaining Premier League game of the weekend is unlikely to take place at Elland Road.

After conceding four goals last Saturday, Leeds United will be preoccupied with going back to basics defensively.

Meanwhile Dyche will instruct his Nottingham Forest team to keep things tight first and foremost.

As such, we will probably not see a goal-laden affair on Friday night. We predict a maximum of two strikes in this one.

Pick under 2.5 goals at 4/5 with Betfred

Gibbs-White to step up

For all that Igor Jesus has caught the eye with his link-up play, the Brazilian is vulnerable to losing his place in the Nottingham Forest XI after scoring only two goals in 22 league games.

Lorenzo Lucca, a January arrival from Napoli, will not be content with sitting on the bench for too long.

No matter who starts up top for Forest on Friday, Morgan Gibbs-White is our choice to find the back of the net.

Forest’s talisman tends to show up when his team needs him most. At these odds, it is well worth a punt on Gibbs-White beating Karl Darlow in the Leeds United goal. 

Go for Morgan Gibbs-White to score any time at 7/2 with 247Bet

Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest predicted lineups

• Leeds United expected lineup: Darlow; Rodon, Bornauw, Strujik; Bogle, Ampadu, Gruev, Justin; Stach, Calvert-Lewin, Aaronson.
• Nottingham Forest expected lineup: Ortega; Aina, Milenkovic, Morato, Murillo; Sangare, Anderson; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Dominguez; Jesus.

Where to watch Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest

• Location: Elland Road, Leeds, England.
• Date and time: Friday 6th February, 8pm.
• How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.

More Premier League predictions

We have plenty more Premier League predictions and picks – find our latest betting tips from expert punters in our match preview overview.

About the author

Greg Lea

Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.

Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball

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