Leeds United’s fans have their say on Saturday’s win at Nottingham Forest.
Leeds United began their second season back in the Premier League with a dramatic victory at Saturday’s hosts Nottingham Forest - but what did the club’s fans think? Here is what our YEP Jury had to say with two players are picked out as men of the match but so too is an “annoying” feature of the game.
NEIL GREWER
A solid performance in a poor game gave Leeds United the start they wanted for this season.
First games of the season are often unpredictable and not a good indicator of what to expect over the next nine months (Hull, Spurs, Ipswich for example on Saturday), but the United performance did not fall into that category.
Leeds will get better but from a good, solid encouraging start.
This result would not have happened in previous seasons and certainly a clean sheet would not.
The team have a solidity and spirit, along with the quality recently added, which turns draws into wins on the back of not conceding.
Clean sheets breed confidence, and especially those achieved away from home.
Anton Stach followed on from where he finished last season, scoring from a free-kick outside the area in the 88th minute in a game dominated by set pieces and heading for an equitable draw until the German’s intervention.
So, it’s job done week 1, let's move on from that but not get carried away.
Men of the match: Anton Stach and James Trafford.
“Annoying when we pride ourselves on having one of the strongest-looking back threes in the division”
DAVID WATKINS
An excellent way to start the season! An away win and a clean sheet.
Defensively, Leeds were largely solid throughout the match, although early in the game, two or three Forest headers won in our box from long throws and a corner were annoying when we pride ourselves on having one of the strongest-looking back threes in the division.
Further forward, the performance lacked the punch we expected after such a positive end to pre-season.
To be fair, neither side really created many clear-cut chances, and neither keeper was exactly overworked; they each made one fine save, both from decent headers.
Leeds were unlucky when, in the 25th minute, Harry Wilson stretched to poke the ball home only for an offside flag to strike that one off.
The second half was as even as the first, but the crucial moment came in the 88th minute.
Anton Stach was blocked as he tried to win the ball on the left corner of the area, but he got up to rifle the free-kick past Matz Sels at his near post.
We can play better than this, but the result was an all-important one.
Man of the match: A difficult pick, but for his goal alone – Anton Stach.
“Proved why Leeds bought him”
EVAN SEAMAN
In the opening game of the season, Leeds United beat Nottingham Forest in a smash-and-grab victory in a game which had few chances.
I thought that new signing James Trafford made some great saves as he proved why Leeds bought him for over £40m this summer and all three of Leeds’ centre-halves in front of Trafford were defensively solid.
There was some controversy after about 21 minutes when Forest’s Ola Aina lunged into James Justin too late and VAR took a look, but Aina got away with just a booking.
In terms of styles of play, Forest had a lot of possession whereas Leeds tried to use the pace of Harry Wilson and catch them on the counter attack.
But Leeds did finally break the deadlock late on when Anton Stach stepped up to take a free-kick before curling it into the top corner to give them the three points.
Overall, I thought that Forest had the better chances in the final third but ultimately Leeds were the more clinical side which gave them the win in the end.
Man of the match: Anton Stach.
“A few scares in the first half”
KEITH INGHAM
Leeds started their 2026/27 Premier League campaign with a late winner at Nottingham Forest. Anton Stach’s free kick beat Matz Sels at his near post to send the away end into raptures.
Leeds had a few scares in the first half as James Trafford saved superbly from Igor Jesus and Forest also hit the post. For Leeds, Wilson had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside.
Quite a few passes went astray as Forest gave Leeds little room to play. Forest were lucky to still have XI men after a poor challenge by Ola Aina on James Justin that deserved a red card.
The second half saw both sides try their best to get the opener. Trafford and his defence were superb and at the other end Noah Okafor’s cross found Tarik Muharemovic who was superbly denied by Matz Sels.
It seemed that it would end goalless but after a foul near the touchline, Anton Stach put in a beautiful free-kick that beat Sels at his near post. Fantastic.
Leeds will travel back to the City Ground on Tuesday for a Carabao Cup game. I’d expect a few changes with Sean Longstaff and Okafor coming in for the cup tie. Forest, I expect, will probably do the same.
A great way to start the season!
Men of the match: James Trafford and all the defence.
“Somehow managed to scramble the ball away from danger”
MIKE GILL
A well organised United side took on a Forest outfit that looked quite solid themselves.
There was action at both ends in the first half with Harry Wilson being judged to be just offside after completing a smart move.
James Trafford showed his quality with a fine save and was soon in action again when Jair Cunha’s header hit the bar and as the ball dropped, the Leeds keeper showed his lightning reactions and somehow managed to scramble the ball away from danger.
However, most of the action took place in the middle of the park and as the second half came and went, it seemed as though there was going to be deadlock between two uncompromising sides.
Enter Anton Stach. The German justified his selection with a sublime free-kick which beat the wall and Forest keeper Matz Sels at the near post, sending the Leeds fans wild.
Special mentions must go to Joe Rodon, Jaka Bijol and Tarik Muharemovic who looked really solid at the back.
Tuesday sees the Whites return to the east Midlands for the second round of the Carabao Cup and a chance for some of our fringe players to shine.
Man of the match: James Trafford.