Latest Nottingham Forest news as Reds prepare to face Leeds United in crunch Premier League clash
05:00, 09 Nov 2025
Ryan Yates (left) in action for Nottingham Forest against Sturm Graz
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Ryan Yates (left) in action for Nottingham Forest against Sturm Graz(Image: Getty)
Skipper Ryan Yates is confident a hectic fixture schedule will not hamper Nottingham Forest's efforts to climb the Premier League table.
The Reds have had a short turnaround for today's crucial game at home to Leeds United (2pm kick-off). They were held to a 0-0 draw in Austria on Thursday night as they faced Sturm Graz in the Europa League and travelled back immediately after.
Balancing the demands of competing on the continent with the need to get points on the domestic front is a new challenge for the club. It adds to the task facing head coach Sean Dyche as he bids to turn around Forest's form and address the issues holding them back.
But Yates is clear a busy period is not an excuse as the Reds go in search of a first league win under the new boss. He said: "Not long ago I was playing in the Championship with a very hectic schedule.
"I think a lot of the players are used to it now. We're not really too bothered about the hectic schedule, it's part and parcel of it. We just need to recover well, focus on each game as it comes and do our best.
"It is a short turnaround but with the staff, the players and the mindset we have we know what we need to do. We need to recover well and get on the training pitch to improve.
"It's another three points available. At the City Ground we want to take three points whoever we are playing.
"Of course it is always a little bit extra when you are playing Leeds. With their very vocal fanbase, like ours, it should be a really good encounter."
Overseeing improvements at both ends of the pitch has been a focus for Dyche since he replaced Ange Postecoglou at the helm. Tightening the team up at the back was a top priority and a shut-out in midweek should act as a timely confidence booster.
It is in front of goal where the Reds particularly continue to struggle, though. It was a familiar tale in Austria as the visitors failed to put away their chances - an issue extending back to the tail end of last term.
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Chris Wood enjoyed his best ever goalscoring season in the Premier League in 2024/25 as he fired Forest to a seventh-placed finish. Putting the ball in the back of the net has not come as easily for anyone in the Garibaldi this time around, however.
Wood has missed a few games with injury and remains a doubt for this afternoon. It means Igor Jesus, who was suspended on Thursday, is likely to come back into the XI as he looks for his first league goal.
"I think it will click," midfielder Yates said. "We've got a really positive dressing room. Of course Woody was on fire last season but we are looking to build and put some good performances together.
"We're disappointed with Thursday night. We had a lot of chances but didn't take them.
"The second half passed us by a little bit. We take the point away from home and a clean sheet as we take the positives.
"The manager is massive on a solid foundation and clean sheets. He's come in and done really well on that part, so we will look to build on that.
"I think they (Graz) just settled into it a little bit. They probably understood we had created a lot of chances and they were probably relieved to go in at half-time drawing.
"They went a little bit more defensive in the second half. Fair play to them, they defended well in the second half and we couldn't find the answers."
Wood and Jesus were not the only players absent in midweek. Injuries have hampered the Reds of late and the situation is unlikely to have eased much by this afternoon. Dyche is likely to be without Douglas Luiz, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Dilane Bakwa, Angus Gunn and long-term absentee Ola Aina.
"Injuries are never ideal, but I think we've got a strong enough squad to have next man up," Yates said. Some of the lads that came in on Thursday night performed really well. We're going to need the whole squad throughout the season."
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