Oliver Glasner’s Nottingham Forest reign begins in earnest on Saturday afternoon when Leeds United visit the City Ground on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.
Forest finished 16th last season before parting with Vítor Pereira despite his side steering clear of relegation, turning instead to the Conference League and FA Cup winner from Crystal Palace.
Leeds arrive under Daniel Farke, who guided them to a comfortable 14th-placed finish and an FA Cup semi-final in their first season back in the top flight. The two sides split last season’s meetings — Forest winning 3–1 at the City Ground, Leeds winning by the same scoreline at Elland Road in February.
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United – Match preview and team news
- Date: Saturday, 22 August 2026
- Kick-off: 15:00 BST
- Venue: The City Ground
- Referee: Robert Jones
- VAR: Craig Pawson
- Last meeting: Leeds United 3–1 Nottingham Forest, February 2026, Premier League
Team news
Nottingham Forest
Ryan Yates is sidelined with a minor issue and Nicolo Savona has suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury, ruling both out. Glasner said this week that his squad is “not at 100%” but “on a good track” after implementing tactical changes since arriving.
Ousmane Diomande, a £34m arrival from Sporting CP, is expected to make his debut in a back three, while Xaver Schlager is also pushing for a first start in central midfield following Elliot Anderson’s club-record departure.
Leeds United
Gabriel Gudmundsson and Willy Gnonto are both out with thigh injuries, and goalkeeper Lucas Perri is managing a similar issue. Ilia Gruev’s involvement remains unclear after only partially reintegrating into training following a long-term knee problem.
Farke confirmed everyone else, including new signing Nico Elvedi, is available. James Trafford, a club-record £40m signing from Manchester City, is set to make his full debut in goal, with Tarik Muharemović also in line to start at centre-back.
Form
Nottingham Forest
Glasner’s first competitive game in charge follows a productive pre-season that included a 2–1 win over Bayer Leverkusen and a 2–0 victory over Brest. The switch to a back three mirrors the system that brought Glasner considerable success at Crystal Palace, and the arrivals of Diomande and Schlager suggest a squad being reshaped in that image. With Anderson sold, a fresh midfield battle has opened up between Nicolás Domínguez and James McAtee.
Leeds United
Farke’s side won four of six pre-season fixtures, scoring 13 goals and conceding six, headlined by a 4–2 comeback victory over Liverpool in Chicago and a 4–0 win over Augsburg in their final warm-up. Leeds have lost their opening league fixture in just two of their last 18 top-flight campaigns. Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle both signed new contracts this week, offering stability at the back as the club begins its second consecutive Premier League season.
Predicted lineups
Nottingham Forest predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Sels; Diomande, Milenkovic, Murillo; Aina, Sangare, Schlager, Williams; Ndoye, Gibbs-White; Jesus
Leeds United predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Trafford; Rodon, Bijol, Muharemovic; Bogle, Ampadu, Stach, Justin; Wilson, Aaronson; Calvert-Lewin
How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United?
The match falls under the Premier League’s traditional 3pm Saturday blackout and will not be broadcast live in the United Kingdom.
Read more – Anderson posts Nottingham Forest farewell amid Man City move
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