Nottingham Forest 1-0 Leeds United (Premier League) 05.02.23

No team has won more points in the Premier League during 2023 than Nottingham Forest. A statistic which has seen the Reds jump out of the bottom three and into thirteenth place, a spot they continue to hold after a winning weekend against Leeds United at the City Ground.

The game ended 1-0 with a first half volley from Brennan Johnson struck sweetly after just fourteen minutes, despite some nervy moments and some inspired goalkeeping from new signing Keylor Navas, a three time Champions League winner that has played at the highest level with the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain, the Reds fended off the Peacocks attack to go in at the break ahead, in the second half, despite more possession from the away side, the visitors failed to stretch the garibaldi defence who were resilient and re-organised after an interval shuffle of the pack by Manager Steve Cooper.

In the first 45, Neco Williams at right back was finding things tough against teenage Italian winger Wilfried Gnonto, United’s best player was a constant threat and forced a save from Navas when he perhaps should have scored, but Cooper brought on Serge Aurier at the interval whilst pushing Williams further forward, he also brought on Jack Colback as Orel Mangala and Danilo made way, that tactical tweak proving a masterclass as Forest sat back to defend their advantage, a banner pre-game that stretched the breadth of the Trent End stating ‘On This Ground We Build Our Fortress’ with an image of Nottingham Castle and the words on the red gates written ‘Forest Defence’ perfectly stringent, it felt that Leeds knew what they were in for from the start, the ninety minutes going to script with no entry through the barriers, something United’s fans felt post game as they aimed to break through a line of stewards and attack the Forest crowd, like their players on the day, unsuccessfully so.

That trouble may get Leeds a rap on their knuckles, a club perhaps finding themselves in bigger trouble than a few thousand pound fine for misbehaving supporters, Leeds now seventeenth and only out of the relegation places on goal difference, whilst Forest, six points above them, far from out of danger themselves, are at least putting a run together, now five games unbeaten with Fulham up next, only six points behind Chelsea and five behind Liverpool, ask anyone in August would they take that come February and most Forest fan with ambition on survival would have snapped your hand off at that.

After the match however, despite their victory, Steve Cooper told the press “We’re obviously really happy with the win. I’m not really happy with the performance and that’s my job to look into that. I don’t think it would be elite enough just to think about the win. So there’s work to do but we know that.”

The Reds winning without playing well but defending deep to get the job done, the three points their third league win of the calendar year which will hopefully have plenty more still to come.

Nottingham Forest: Navas, Mangala (Aurier 46), Williams (Ayew 90), Gibbs-White, McKenna, Lodi, Johnson, Danilo (Colback (46), Freuler, Boly, Wood (Surridge 72).

Leeds United: Meslier, Ayling, Cooper, Roca (McKennie 57), Bamford (Rutter 67), Harrison (Greenwood 83), Adams, Struijk (Firpo 67), Sinisterra (Summerville 57), Gnonto, Wöber.

Venue: City Ground (29,363)

*Main image @NFFC Brennan Johnson scores the winner against Leeds United.