Premier League football is back as Leeds United take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Saturday afternoon.
The wait for club football to return is over this weekend. United take to the Premier League stage with a trip to Nottingham Forest.
Daniel Farke will be hoping to pick up where he left off after a brilliant second half of last season, finishing 14th in the table.
Leeds United team news v Nottingham Forest: Willy Gnonto, Gabriel Gudmundsson ruled out
Two players are ruled out for United’s City Ground fixture this Saturday. Farke’s pre-match press conference brought confirmation that both Willy Gnonto and Gabriel Gudmundsson are ruled out.
Both players picked up hamstring injuries during pre-season – Gudmundsson against Liverpool, and Gnonto against Man Utd – seeing them sit out.
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It leaves Farke with something of a headache, particularly off the left side. Similarly, Noah Okafor may not be fully fit to start, as the German said this:
“Every training day helps, two pre-season games already,” Farke said, per the YEP. “Right now he’s progressing, we let him do some extra running. It’s not just to have him for the next two games, we need him for 11 months. He’s healthy and available, been training for nearly two weeks and he’s ready to be picked. But it’s my responsibility to see if it makes sense and we’ll take some late decisions.”
Here, I look at the lineup I predict Daniel Farke will name as Leeds United face Nottingham Forest…
Goalkeeper: James Trafford
Of course, our shiny new record signing James Trafford will be making his competitive debut in goal for Leeds.
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So far, from pre-season, we look like we have finally resolved this goalkeeper issue that’s largely plagued us ever since Nigel Martyn.
He’s got everything that you’d want in a modern goalkeeper and a strong debut would go a long way towards him having a tremendous campaign.
Defence: Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol, Tarik Muharemovic
I’ve been most impressed with how our back three has evolved ever since the start of pre-season. The sharpening of Joe Rodon’s role as a marauding centre-back has been really encouraging, and I hope to see that role flourish.
Jaka Bijol through the middle is exactly what we need in this formation, and it’ll be good to see him settle into rhe side right away after a slow start to last season.
The main man that everyone wants to see, though, is new signing Tarik Muharemovic. The towering Bosnian is another that’s looked so, so good during pre-season.
Missing Pascal Struijk was a blow, but Muharemovic looks every bit the replacement (dare I say upgrade) that we needed.
Midfield: Jayden Bogle, Anton Stach, Ethan Ampadu, James Justin
At wing-backs, the absence of Gudmundsson is frustrating, and worries me going forward. He ended last season with a hamstring issue, then rushed back for the World Cup, and starts this season with a hamstring issue. That is really concerning and needs covering ASAP with a new signing.
In the meantime, James Justin will cover commendably, as he has done ever since joining United. On the right, Jayden Bogle will be hoping to form one third of what could be a reall exciting combination down our right-wing, that I’m so intrigued to see in action.
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In midfield, there’s only one pairing that Farke can go with, and it’s Anton Stach partnering Ethan Ampadu centrally.
With Forest not replacing Elliot Anderson yet, there’s scope for Leeds’ midfield to really stamp their mark on this game away from home.
Attack: Harry Wilson, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Brenden Aaronson
In attack, Leeds’ third summer signing also makes his full debut. Harry Wilson is going to the No10 jersey off the right.
It’s been a quiet pre-season of settling in for Wilson and some fans (shock horror) are hastily passing judgement. Be patient, he’s clearly a very shrewd upgrade on our attacking options and could be brilliant in this role.
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Up front, Dominic Calvert-Lewin leads the line and will hope to get off to the right start after last season’s heroics in the final third.
Out on the left, I’m not expecting Okafor to be fit enough to start. So, that means Brenden Aaronson will get the nod after his new contract.
Aaronson still has a lot to prove, but his 2026 form suggests he could have a strong campaign ahead. Playing on the road, he could provide the pressing intensity we need to unsettle Forest.
Full Leeds United predicted XI to face Nottingham Forest