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Premier League 2026/27 — Matchweek 1
Nottingham Forest badge
Nottingham Forest
2
2
FT
Leeds United badge
Leeds United
Saturday 22 August 2026 · 15:00 BST · 📍 City Ground, Nottingham
Full Time

Nottingham Forest and Leeds United shared six goals in a wild 2-2 draw at the City Ground. Wood put Forest ahead early on, Calvert-Lewin levelled for Leeds just before half-time, and Gibbs-White restored the lead from the penalty spot with just over 20 minutes left. Murillo was then sent off for a second yellow card to leave Forest with ten men, and Leeds made the extra man count, grabbing a stoppage-time equaliser through Bogle to deny Forest all three points. A point each to start the season — Forest will be frustrated at throwing away a lead a man down, while Leeds can take real heart from showing that fighting spirit on the opening day.

Pre-match Talking Points

Match talking points will appear here before kick-off.

Team Talking Points

Nottingham Forest badge
Premier League 2026/27
  • 1
    Forest have just appointed their fifth manager in twelve months: Oliver Glasner, who arrives fresh from guiding Crystal Palace through the best spell in that club's history — an FA Cup, a Community Shield and a Europa Conference League title in two and a half seasons.
  • 2
    He's inheriting a club that's burned through Nuno Espírito Santo, Ange Postecoglou, Sean Dyche and Vitor Pereira in barely a year, so his first job is basically just convincing everyone he'll still be there at Christmas.
  • 3
    Forest sold Anthony Elanga to Newcastle for £55m over the summer — a reminder that even Forest's good news stories, like developing a genuine Premier League winger, tend to end with someone else cashing in on the result.
  • 4
    Their opening weeks have been settling-in territory rather than statement-making: a 0-0 at home to Tottenham where Forest actually had a goal ruled out for handball on the line by VAR in the 67th minute.
  • 5
    With that much managerial change at the City Ground, 'stability' is now doing a lot of work in every article written about Forest — Glasner's entire pitch is that he's the one who can actually make it stick this time.
🍺
Top thing to say down the pub Forest fans have stopped bothering to learn new managers' names properly — there's no point getting attached.
🚫
Avoid saying "Forest are still riding that European high" — that was two managers and the best part of a year ago; say it now and you'll sound like you haven't checked in since spring.
Leeds United badge
Premier League 2026/27
  • 1
    Leeds are back for a second straight season in the Premier League under Daniel Farke, having secured promotion the year before. For a club with Leeds' history and support, just being an established top-flight side again is the achievement people are talking about.
  • 2
    The summer business was busy: full-back Melvin Bard arrived, and winger Jean-Mattéo Bahoya came in as the club's final signing of the window. Both were brought in to add depth to a squad trying to consolidate rather than just survive.
  • 3
    Farke has been giving low-key fitness updates on a couple of players ahead of upcoming fixtures — the kind of detail that sounds a lot more informed in conversation than just talking about results.
  • 4
    Elland Road stays one of the most intimidating away days in the league regardless of where Leeds sit in the table. That reputation didn't disappear during their time outside the Premier League, and it hasn't disappeared now they're back.
  • 5
    The quiet aim at Leeds this season is simply staying up more comfortably than clubs coming straight back up usually manage. Survival first, then see where that gets them.
🍺
Top thing to say down the pub Leeds being a boring, comfortable mid-table Premier League side would honestly be the biggest compliment anyone could pay this squad right now.
🚫
Avoid saying "Leeds are just happy to be here" — undersells a club that's building something under Farke with genuine ambitions of pushing up the table, not just survival on their mind.

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