Leeds were too good for Nottingham Forest at Elland Road tonight…
Leeds pulled nine points clear of the Premier League relegation zone with a comprehensive win over a Nottingham Forest side now looking over their shoulders.
The match was a clash between the two teams occupying the final positions of safety, perched precariously above the trap door, but it was the hosts who seized the initiative with a rousing display on a wet night at Elland Road.
The game burst into life after 26 minutes when Jayden Bogle slotted Leeds in front and they doubled their advantage four minutes later, Noah Okafor converting James Justin’s centre.
Forest, who had won their previous two away games in the Premier League, never really threatened a comeback and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 10th league goal of the season at the start of the second half settled it.
Lorenzo Lucca, the striker on-loan from Napoli, grabbed a late consolation on his Forest debut but the visitors were well beaten.
Quickfire goals put Leeds on road to victory
Leeds started the brighter – Zach Abbott slicing Gabriel Gudmundsson’s low cross over his own bar – before Forest threatened. Callum Hudson-Odoi had a shot saved by Karl Darlow, as did Nicolas Dominguez, while Igor Jesus ought to have done better than head Elliot Anderson’s brilliant cross wide.
Leeds rode their luck and capitalised on some woeful Forest defending to open the scoring. Ilia Gruev had all the time in the world to clip a perfect ball over the top for Bogle to run on to and the right wing-back made no mistake with a low finish.
Justin made it 2-0 not long after. Having seen his shot saved by debutant Stefan Ortega, he had the presence of mind to square the loose ball to Okafor and he swept it home.
Morgan Gibbs-White saw a deflected effort parried clear by Darlow before half-time but Forest’s challenge was effectively ended four minutes after the restart.
Calvert-Lewin settles it in Leeds’ favour
More lacklustre defending saw Gruev given too much space on the edge of the box. Only he will know if he was trying to shoot or cross but Calvert-Lewin needed no second invitation to guide the ball past Ortega with his chest.
Gruev nearly added a fourth, just failing to nod home in a goalmouth scramble.
Lucca did find the back of the net, heading home powerfully from fellow substitute Omari Hutchinson’s cross from the right with four minutes to go but it was scant consolation for Forest.
Forest remain six points clear of third-from-bottom West Ham and will take a close interest in the Hammers’ trip to fellow strugglers Burnley tomorrow.
