Nottingham Forest vs Leeds: Predictions, Picks, Odds & Lineups

Nottingham Forest host Leeds at The City Ground on Saturday, August 22 (10:00 AM ET / 9:00 AM CT / 7:00 AM PT).

Leeds will be without the thigh-injured Gabriel Gudmundsson for this one, while wrist-and-hand doubt Lucas Perri and knee-injury doubt Ilia Gruev are also being managed. Forest, meanwhile, have knee-injury doubt Nicolo Savona and thigh-injury doubt Callum Hudson-Odoi to assess, with Christopher Wood also touch-and-go. Further forward, Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus carry the goal threat for Forest, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Noah Okafor doing likewise for Leeds.

Both sides arrive with the slate wiped clean, neither having kicked a ball this season yet, but the shape of last term still lingers. Forest’s run-in brought three wins, a draw and a defeat, while Leeds ended the season unbeaten in their final five games. That form suggests a tightly-matched opener at the City Ground, one likely to be shaped by moments in the box rather than one side dominating for long spells.

US viewers can watch Nottingham Forest vs Leeds on NBC and Peacock.

Nottingham Forest vs Leeds: Best Bets & Predictions

Nottingham Forest host Leeds at the City Ground as both sides prepare to open their season account.

Where are you following from? Odds & offers below update to match.

🇺🇸 United StatesTrade on Kalshi 🌎 Outside the USOdds via bet365

Nottingham Forest to winTop pickForest's attacking options, led by Morgan Gibbs-White, look sharper than a Leeds side missing the injured Gudmundsson at the back.

45%win prob.120 @ bet365

Both Teams to Score – YesBoth Gibbs-White and Dominic Calvert-Lewin found the net regularly last season, and neither defense looks fully settled this early.

59%chance-143 @ bet365

Over 2.5 GoalsWith proven scorers on both sides last season, goals at both ends feels the likeliest shape of this one.

53%chance-111 @ bet365

Nottingham Forest to win 2-1A narrow home win with goals at both ends fits the profile of two attack-minded sides still shaking off preseason rust.

10%chance900 @ bet365

Morgan Gibbs-White anytime scorerGibbs-White scored 15 goals last season and remains Forest's most reliable route to goal.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐chanceopening soon @ bet365

Our approach: we grounded every pick in verified team news and last season's underlying numbers, then made sure our result, goals and scorer picks all tell the same story for this City Ground opener.

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Season Form & Standings

Neither side has kicked a ball this season yet — Nottingham Forest and Leeds both sit on zero points from zero games played, a blank slate before a ball is kicked at the City Ground.

Premier League

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Potential Match-Winners

• Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest): Morgan Gibbs-White scored 15 goals and created 49 chances last season, underlining his status as Forest’s chief creative and goal threat.
• Igor Jesus (Nottingham Forest): Igor Jesus contributed 6 goals from 70 shots last season, showing he’s not shy of testing the goalkeeper.
• Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds): Dominic Calvert-Lewin led Leeds’ line with 14 goals and 34 shots on target last season, giving them a proven finisher up top.

Recent Form

Nottingham Forest: W W W D L

• 2026-05-17: Manchester United 3-2 Nottingham Forest (L, away)
• 2026-05-10: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Newcastle (D, home)
• 2026-05-04: Chelsea 1-3 Nottingham Forest (W, away)
• 2026-04-24: Sunderland 0-5 Nottingham Forest (W, away)
• 2026-04-19: Nottingham Forest 4-1 Burnley (W, home)

Forest’s run-in brought three wins, a draw and a defeat. The wins came 4-1 at home to Burnley, 5-0 away at Sunderland and 3-1 at Chelsea, before a 1-1 draw at home to Newcastle and a 3-2 defeat away at Manchester United.

Leeds: W D W D W

• 2026-05-17: Leeds 1-0 Brighton (W, home)
• 2026-05-11: Tottenham 1-1 Leeds (D, away)
• 2026-05-01: Leeds 3-1 Burnley (W, home)
• 2026-04-22: Bournemouth 2-2 Leeds (D, away)
• 2026-04-18: Leeds 3-0 Wolves (W, home)

Leeds finished last season unbeaten in their final five outings: three wins and two draws. Wins came 1-0 at home to Brighton, 3-1 at home to Burnley and 3-0 at home to Wolves, with draws at Tottenham (1-1) and away at Bournemouth (2-2).

Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Prediction

With both sides still on zero points from zero games this season, this is anyone’s guess early on. But Forest’s home platform and Gibbs-White’s touch in front of goal give them the edge for a 2-1 win at the City Ground, with goals likely at both ends.