Leeds United moved one big step closer to safety after a strong 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on Tuesday night.
It was a tough evening for Forest boss Sean Dyche, who admitted his side failed to do the basics and fully deserved to lose.
The Whites were sharp from the start and showed far more energy, while Forest struggled to cope with the pace and pressure.
Goals from Jayden Bogle, Noah Okafor, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin sealed a big win for Leeds, while Forest’s late goal came too late to change the story of the match.
For Dyche, the result was a major missed chance to move further away from the relegation fight.
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Leeds start fast and make Forest pay
Leeds United began the game with real intensity, backed by a loud Elland Road crowd. Forest knew Leeds would start quickly, but even with that warning, they could not fully deal with it.
Although Forest had a decent spell early on, it was Leeds who took control.
Jayden Bogle opened the scoring with a goal that Dyche later described as very poor from his side’s point of view. From there, the game swung firmly in Leeds’ favour.
Noah Okafor doubled the lead soon after, punishing Forest once again for loose defending. Leeds looked confident, direct, and hungry, while Forest appeared unsure and stretched at the back.
After the break, any hope of a comeback was quickly ended when Dominic Calvert-Lewin made it 3-0. By then, the result was beyond doubt.
Dyche is unhappy with the defending and basic errors
After the match, Sean Dyche did not hide his disappointment. The Forest manager made it clear that injuries were a problem, but he refused to use them as an excuse.
Forest were without key players such as Neco Williams through suspension, while Murillo and goalkeeper Matz Sels were both missing due to injury.
Murillo’s injury came late in training, leaving little time to adjust.
Still, Dyche felt his players should have coped better.
He pointed out that Forest failed to defend properly, gave away simple goals, and did not stick to basic principles.
For a manager known for organisation and discipline, that was clearly the most frustrating part.
Dyche also admitted Leeds were the better team and deserved the win, saying there were no questions about the final result.
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Missed chances and a late consolation
Forest did have moments, especially in the first half. They created a couple of good chances and could have changed the game if they had taken one of them.
But as Dyche explained, football is about taking your chances. Forest did not, and Leeds did.
Lorenzo Lucca scored late on his debut to pull one back for Forest. While the goal showed some fight and good mentality, it came far too late to matter.
Dyche admitted his side kept pushing until the end, but said it would have felt like getting away with it if they had somehow got something from the match.
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Leeds take a big step towards safety
For Leeds United, this was a massive result. The three points lifted them further clear of trouble and gave them a nine-point gap over Forest.
The performance will please the manager and fans alike. Leeds looked confident, organised, and dangerous from now on, while also capitalising on Forest’s mistakes.
Elland Road played its part too, with the home crowd driving the team on from the first minute.
As the season moves towards its final stage, this win could prove crucial for Leeds.
For Forest, however, it is back to the drawing board, with Dyche demanding better basics, stronger defending, and sharper finishing if they want to stay clear of the drop.
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