Match Information
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Match Overview
Nottingham Forest host Leeds at the City Ground on August 22, 2026 in the opening round of the Premier League season, a fixture that carries early significance given both sides currently occupy the bottom two positions in the table, with Forest 19th and Leeds 18th. While it is only Matchday 1, the positioning suggests two teams who will be keen to start the campaign with a positive result to avoid early pressure in a relegation-threatened zone.
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Recent form heading into this match paints contrasting pictures, though it must be read with caution given the friendly and pre-season nature of much of it. Forest's build-up has been shaky, with defeats to Barcelona, Udinese, and Sporting CP sandwiched around a win over Bayer Leverkusen and Portimonense. The pattern shows vulnerability against varied opposition, though a 2-1 win over Leverkusen on August 12 offers a note of encouragement heading into the season opener. Leeds, by contrast, arrive having shown more competitive resilience, drawing 1-1 with Manchester United on August 12 and beating RB Leipzig 2-0 on August 8, alongside Premier League Summer Series wins over Liverpool and Sunderland, though a loss to Wrexham on July 25 tempers the overall picture.
Head-to-head history adds intrigue, with the two sides trading wins in their most recent meetings, Leeds winning 3-1 on February 6, 2026, and Forest responding with a 3-1 win of their own on November 9, 2025. This recent competitiveness suggests neither side holds a clear psychological edge heading into the new campaign.
With no injury absences reported for either squad, both managers-in-waiting sides should be able to name closer to full-strength lineups, making squad selection and early-season sharpness key differentiators. This is a season-opening fixture where both teams will be eager to avoid an early setback given their respective standings.
Predicted Lineups
Nottingham Forest
M. Sels; O. Aina, N. Milenković, Morato, Z. Abbott; N. Domínguez, I. Sangaré, M. Gibbs-White; C. Hudson-Odoi, T. Awoniyi, D. Bakwa
Leeds
Lucas Perri; J. Bogle, J. Bijol, E. Ampadu, A. Cresswell; S. Longstaff, I. Gruev, B. Aaronson; D. James, D. Calvert-Lewin, W. Gnonto
Team Form Analysis
Nottingham Forest
League Position: 19Nottingham Forest Form Analysis
Forest's recent run has been dominated by pre-season friendlies, and the results have been mixed at best. Across five outings, they managed just two wins, against Bayer Leverkusen on August 12 and Portimonense on July 31, while suffering defeats to Barcelona, Udinese, and a heavy 4-1 loss to Sporting CP on July 31. The spread of results against varied continental opposition makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions about league readiness, but the defensive concessions across three of the five matches point to areas needing attention before competitive matches begin. Attacking output was solid in the wins, netting two goals in each victory, but the side struggled to find the net in defeats to Barcelona and Udinese, both settled by a single goal. With the season opener arriving immediately after this preparation period, Forest will be looking to translate the positive signs from the Leverkusen win into competitive form, particularly given their current 19th-place standing entering the new campaign.
Leeds
League Position: 18Leeds Form Analysis
Leeds head into the season opener with a more encouraging spread of pre-season and Summer Series results. A 1-1 draw away to Manchester United on August 12 followed a 2-0 win over RB Leipzig on August 8, showing composure against strong opposition both home and away. Earlier in the Premier League Summer Series, Leeds impressed further, defeating Liverpool 4-2 away on August 2 and edging Sunderland 1-0 on July 30, though they did suffer a 3-2 loss to Wrexham on July 25. The attacking numbers stand out, with four goals against Liverpool highlighting attacking potency, while the defensive record has been more competitive, only conceding multiple goals in the Wrexham defeat. Given their 18th-place standing, these performances against Premier League opposition in the Summer Series carry more weight than the friendlies, and Leeds will hope this form translates into tangible points as the competitive season begins.
Head-to-Head
Nottingham Forest
Leeds
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-06 | Leeds | 3 - 1 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2025-11-09 | Nottingham Forest | 3 - 1 | Leeds |
| 2023-07-27 | Nottingham Forest | 0 - 2 | Leeds |
| 2023-04-04 | Leeds | 2 - 1 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2023-02-05 | Nottingham Forest | 1 - 0 | Leeds |
| 2020-02-08 | Nottingham Forest | 2 - 0 | Leeds |
| 2019-08-10 | Leeds | 1 - 1 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2019-01-01 | Nottingham Forest | 4 - 2 | Leeds |
| 2018-10-27 | Leeds | 1 - 1 | Nottingham Forest |
| 2018-01-01 | Leeds | 0 - 0 | Nottingham Forest |
Memorable Matches
The rivalry between these two sides has produced some spirited recent meetings. On February 6, 2026, Leeds won 3-1 at their own ground, but Forest responded emphatically on November 9, 2025, with a 3-1 win of their own, showing the pendulum swings both ways in this fixture. Going further back, the 2023 meetings were tightly contested, with Leeds winning 2-1 on April 4, 2023, and Forest edging a narrow 1-0 win on February 5, 2023. Even earlier, a July 27, 2023 fixture saw Leeds win 2-0. These matches collectively demonstrate a fixture that rarely produces one-sided results, with both sides capable of finding success against the other.
Venue Factor
The City Ground provides Nottingham Forest with home advantage for this season-opening fixture, and atmosphere is likely to play a role given the stakes both sides face near the bottom of the table. Home crowds at the City Ground have historically provided vocal backing, which could be significant as Forest look to build early-season momentum. For Leeds, traveling form will be tested immediately, though their August 12 draw at Manchester United and August 2 win at Liverpool suggest they are capable of performing away from home against significant opposition. With both teams occupying relegation-threatened positions, the atmosphere at the City Ground is likely to carry an added edge, as home supporters look for a positive start
