The Leeds United goalkeeper endured a difficult afternoon against Arsenal but is already looking to the future.
Leeds United goalkeeper Karl Darlow is keen to brush off last weekend’s 4-0 drubbing at home to Arsenal in which his side were punished for ‘small mistakes’.
The Welshman endured a difficult afternoon against the title favourites, most notably failing to keep an inswinging Noni Madueke corner from going straight in. The dangerous ball was whipped into a packed area and took the smallest touch of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s head before it was fumbled in by the goalkeeper.
Darlow and his teammates will need to shake off that performance quickly, with a huge bottom-of-the-table clash at home to Nottingham Forest on Friday. That is the first of a 14-game run-in during which Leeds need to keep their six-point gap on 18th-placed West Ham from disappearing.
“Arsenal was a tough game,” Darlow told Premier League Productions. “Unfortunately, it went the wrong way for us, which is just one of those things. In the Premier League, you get punished for small errors and small mistakes.
“I think Arsenal are so well drilled in everything they do and it is obviously a squad that has been together for a long time and has added more quality. They are not winning by fluke.
“But you have to go game by game, brush that one off and on to the next one. We have got 14 big games coming up and we know we cannot afford to dwell on results.”
Defeat to Arsenal will be a long way in the rear-view mirror should Leeds go out and beat Forest on Friday. The pair are level on points and goal difference - separated by goals scored - with any eventual victor pulling nine clear of West Ham before they go to Burnley in another relegation six-pointer on Saturday.
Karl Darlow’s Nottingham Forest verdict ahead of Elland Road clash
Sean Dyche’s side have been unable to climb away from relegation trouble like many expected but are now four unbeaten in the Premier League, winning each of their last two away games at West Ham and Brentford. Forest’s squad is also stacked with top-quality talent thanks to their recent Europa League qualification.
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“I think there is a very direct way about Forest and very threatening in terms of what they have,” Darlow said of Friday’s opponents. “They have that quality in the midfield and they have the quality on the wings and up front that can hurt you.
“So, we need to be wary of that. Friday night at Elland Road - it is one to be excited about as a player and obviously the fans get excited. Everyone will be fully motivated to try and get a really positive result.”
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