It is nights like these, when the din inside Elland Road is ear-splitting and the home side are an uncontainable frenzy, that are driving Leeds United towards Premier League survival. Or, rather, consolidation.
Nottingham Forest were dismantled in the deluge in West Yorkshire, an unfamiliar back line picked apart far too easily as Daniel Farke’s side ran riot. The hosts sensed vulnerability and stampeded over panicked opponents, establishing their lead during a blistering four-minute period around the half-hour mark, then building on it after the break.
The visitors’ late attempt to rally amounted to nothing more than a solitary consolation.
Their advantage was built early. Dominic Calvert-Lewin had already planted a header on to the crossbar from inside the six-yard box but, midway through the first half, Jayden Bogle tore unnoticed off the right flank. His diagonal cross-field run took him into the inside left channel where he collected Ilia Gruev’s cleverly lofted pass and finished left-footed beyond Stefan Ortega.
Forest were still recovering their composure when Noah Okafor side-footed easily home from James Justin’s cross — his first goal involvement in 16 league games — and the lead was doubled.
Calvert-Lewin chested in a Gruev cross-shot early in the second half, his 10th top-flight goal of the campaign to date, to expunge any lingering hope in the visitors’ ranks. On the few occasions Sean Dyche’s side did pose a threat, Karl Darlow delighted in denying his former club until debutant Lorenzo Lucca nodded in late on.
That mattered little. This was a night for Leeds to savour. Here, Beren Cross dissects the major talking points at Elland Road.
Leeds’ wing-back threat
It seemed clear from very early on just how pivotal Leeds United’s wing-backs might be in their clash with Nottingham Forest.
Inside the opening 15 minutes, Gabriel Gudmundsson had blitzed through Zach Abbott — on his first Premier League start — Nicolas Dominguez and Elliot Anderson in turn down United’s left before delivering venomous crosses into the box.
Gudmundsson has always been one of United’s chief weapons this season, but Leeds could sense there was weakness in this Forest team to exploit on his side of the pitch. Noah Okafor was enjoying himself on that flank, too, his presence occupying markers and freeing up space for those around him.
The irrepressible Gabriel Gudmundsson (George Wood/Getty Images)
It was no surprise when Leeds prised open the visitors down that flank to take the lead.
Gruev was left of centre as he ventured forward with time and space — courtesy of Okafor’s run ahead of him. He looked up and almost nonchalantly clipped a pass over the top of the away side’s defence. It was Jayden Bogle, the other half of United’s wing-back powerhouse, who appeared out of nowhere to collect the pass.
A delighted Jayden Bogle leaps for joy after scoring his first Premier League goal for Leeds (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
There were shades of Stuart Dallas’s right-back run at Stoke City in 2019 as Bogle ghosted beyond a defence waiting for the offside flag. Ola Aina seemed to pass him on to a team-mate. No one reacted. His finish was unerring.
It was Bogle’s first Premier League goal for Leeds, and a timely reminder of the threat this side poses from both its wing-backs.
Did Gruev justify his selection?
Ilia Gruev is not known for his attacking verve or prowess. The Bulgaria international is the six-out-of-10 water carrier Daniel Farke knows will not let him down.
He is arguably not in Leeds United’s strongest XI on paper. But, as injuries or poor form have struck the likes of Anton Stach, Sean Longstaff and Ao Tanaka, the manager has favoured his old faithful. Gruev was barely a regular starter in the Championship — few thought he would be in the top division — but this was his eighth start on the bounce.
Ilia Gruev pursues Forest’s Elliot Anderson (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
It was not a universally popular decision within Elland Road ahead of a home match against the team immediately below Leeds in the league. With Stach injured, some had hoped Farke might roll with Longstaff and Tanaka alongside Ethan Ampadu — players with plenty more attacking pedigree.
Was it a negative decision in a home game like this? Well, if that was how it was initially perceived, Gruev ended the game with two assists, the first of which will be played back on Premier League Years 25-26 in 30 years from now. He was a dynamo, all over the pitch, pressuring the opponent as well as usual — but pushing Leeds forward too.
This was some riposte to those worried his inclusion might hold the team back.
What does this win mean for Leeds?
Much in the same way a defeat would not have consigned Leeds United to relegation, this win does not guarantee safety — but it was one hell of a walloping for their nearest rivals on a night that really mattered.
In a season dominated by underdog status, these games against true rivals are few and far between. Leeds had to stand up and be counted under the Elland Road lights. They did so, emphatically.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored his 10th league goal of the season (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)
As much as the daylight to Forest will help, the victory has dealt Dyche’s side a huge psychological blow it as well. Forest needed to make an impression here, too, but were bypassed far too easily. They, for now, are the team looking over their shoulders in apprehension at the squabble at their back.
West Ham United can cut United’s nine-point gap before the end of the weekend, but Farke and his players will have been buoyed by the dominance of this performance until Forest summoned some belated urgency in the dying moments.
Leeds know stern tests await in the weeks ahead. There are collisions with Chelsea, Aston Villa and Manchester City before the end of the month.
Daniel Farke will not be taking anything for granted despite this emphatic win (Jon Hobley/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
But this latest batch of three points takes the sting out of those matches and keeps the wolf from the door.
Leeds are now four points clear of the point-per-game average generally needed to stay up. It is Forest and West Ham who will feel deflated to have witnessed a display like this. Another nine points from the final 39 available might be all that’s needed for another crack at the top division.
What did Farke say?
On Gruev’s performance, to Sky: “He was outstanding. He’s always solid, always reliable. You can always count on him. You always get a 7/10 performance, but he was pretty close to 10/10 today. He looked a bit of a mix of (Hristo) Stoichkov — those Bulgarian roots — and Lothar Matthaus in his prime; how he defended, and two assists as well.
“He played key passes in the offence and showed great skills on the ball, and great desire after his injury. He was full of blood in the dressing room with his face (after taking a blow in the second half). But he embodies pretty much everything that Leeds is all about. We’re perhaps not perfect, but we show great quality, great desire and we improve from week to week. He was outstanding.”
On recovering from last weekend’s 4-0 home defeat to Arsenal: “It’s important how you respond after a difficult result. We’vee more or less always responded this season to setbacks, but whenever the pressure has been on, we have delivered. That’s a sign of a winning mentality. You could tell how much it meant to my players. I’m happy with this mature behaviour. I’m very proud of the lads.”
What next for Leeds?
Tuesday, February 10: Chelsea (Away), Premier League, 7.30pm UK, 2.30pm ET