Preview
Nottingham Forest welcome Leeds United to the City Ground on Saturday, August 22, as both teams begin their 2026/27 Premier League campaign.
It is an interesting opening-day fixture, with Forest looking to put last season’s disappointing 16th-place finish behind them. Leeds finished 14th with 47 points after returning to the Premier League, and Daniel Farke’s side will be hoping to take another step forward this season.
Nottingham Forest Match Preview
Nottingham Forest will start the new season with Oliver Glasner in-charge. The Austrian manager has taken over after a difficult campaign for Forest, who went through four different head coaches last season before eventually finishing 16th.
Glasner is expected to use a 3-4-2-1 system, which is familiar from his successful spell at Crystal Palace. The idea will be to bring more stability to a side that struggled for consistency last season. Forest still have plenty of attacking quality. Morgan Gibbs-White remains one of their most important players and enjoyed an excellent individual campaign last season.
Chris Wood is another experienced option in attack, although his fitness will be something to keep an eye on. Forest have also added defensive strength with Ousmane Diomande arriving from Sporting.
Playing at the City Ground should give Forest an advantage, especially on the opening weekend when the home crowd will be eager to see the team under its new manager.
Leeds United Match Preview
Leeds go into the game with a more settled situation in the dugout. Leeds have spent heavily during the summer in an attempt to improve further. Their biggest signing was goalkeeper James Trafford, who arrived from Manchester City in a club-record £40m deal.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be one of the main players Forest need to watch. The striker scored 14 Premier League goals last season and gives Leeds a proven goalscoring option in the final third. Leeds also ended last season strongly. That should give them some confidence heading into their first game of the new campaign.
Win Probability
| Match Details |
|---|
| Fixture: Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United |
| Competition: Premier League – Round 01 |
| Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026 |
| Time: 15:00 BST |
| Venue: The City Ground |
| Nottingham Forest Manager: Oliver Glasner |
| Leeds United Manager: Daniel Farke |
| Referee: Robert Jones |
Match Odds
| Outcome | Decimal | Fraction | American |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nottm Forest | 2.4 | 7/5 | 140 |
| Draw | 3.5 | 5/2 | 250 |
| Leeds United | 3.3 | 23/10 | 230 |
Predicted Line Up
Nottingham Forest Formation 3-4-2-1
Leeds United Formation 3-4-2-1
Over/Under Goals Odds & Probability
| Market | Decimal | Fraction | American |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 0.5 | 1.08 | 2/25 | -1250 |
| Over 1.5 | 1.33 | 33/100 | -303 |
| Over 2.5 | 2 | 1/1 | 100 |
Anytime Goalscorer Probability
Nottingham Forest Goalscorer Predictions
Leeds United Goalscorer Predictions
Goalscorer to Watch:
Morgan Gibbs-White is the obvious player to watch for Nottingham Forest after scoring 15 league goals last season. His creativity and ability to arrive in the box make him a constant threat.
For Leeds, Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the main goalscoring option. His 14 goals last season show that he can be relied upon to finish chances at Premier League level.
Both Team To Score (BTTS) Probability & Odds
| Market | Decimal | Fraction | American |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1.79 | 79/100 | -126.6 |
| No | 2.2 | 6/5 | 120 |
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United Prediction
This could be a close opening-day game, but Forest have the advantage of playing at home and appear to have the stronger attacking threat.
The latest statistical models also give Forest the edge, with one model putting their chances of winning at 47.%, compared with 26% for a draw and 25% for a Leeds win.
Leeds should make the game competitive, but Forest’s home advantage and Gibbs-White’s attacking quality could be enough to settle the match.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds United
My Picks
| Picks | Confidence |
| BTTS – YES | High |
| Over 1.5 Goals | High |
Tip: Back Both Teams to Score (BTTS – Yes) in Nottingham Forest vs Leeds United, with both sides capable of finding the net.
