After the disappointment of defeat at the hands of Barnsley last weekend, Leeds United conjured up a majestic response by recording a comfortable home victory over Nottingham Forest at Elland Road.

The task at hand was transparent to all whom were clad in all white that stepped out onto the hallowed turf at Elland Road on Tuesday night; to secure victory over a hapless opposition that prior to kick-off languished in 19th position, and to further consolidate a position in the play-offs.

There was an anticipated recall for Pontus Jansson, who partnered Kyle Bartley in defence, while Stuart Dallas was promoted to the starting lineup, relegating Souleymane Doukara to the bench. Eunan O’Kane also replaced Ronaldo Vieira in central midfield. Armed to the teeth with the bullish strength of the aforementioned Jansson, along with the guile and flair of a formidable forward line, Leeds United duly completed their assignment in the second-half with a razor-sharp ruthlessness akin to that of a masterly assassin; their performance callous, cold-hearted, and clinical. And so defeat was inflicted upon a forlorn Nottingham Forest for the 14th time this season, with the Reds now hovering precariously above the relegation zone.

The reward for United, who emerged as 2-0 victors on the night courtesy of Chris Wood’s 20th goal of the season coupled with a howitzer on the part of Souleymane Doukara, is a brisk elevation back up to third position in the table, with the Whites having now accrued a mightily impressive 51 points from 28 games. Leeds’ next outing sees them travel to Vanarama National League minnows Sutton United in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday, with Paul Doswell’s charges providing the first non-league opposition to the Whites since Kettering Town visited Elland Road in December 2009.

Team Lineups

Leeds United (4-2-3-1) - Green; Ayling, Bartley, Jansson, Berardi; O’Kane (Vieira 75’), Bridcutt; Roofe, Hernandez (Mowatt 80’), Dallas (Doukara 72’); Wood.

Unused Substitutes: Silvestri, Coyle, Phillips, Antonsson.

Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1) - Henderson; Lichaj, Hobbs (Lam 57’), Fox, Pinillos; Mancienne, Vaughan; Cash, Osborn, Ward (Bendtner 67’); Assombalonga (Brereton 76’).

Unused Substitutes: Stojkovic, Worrall, Pereira, Carayol.

First-Half

The hosts kicked off proceedings, with Pablo Hernandez setting the ball into motion to begin the match. With just 12 seconds of play elapsed, United’s Kemar Roofe embarked upon a hurtling run, surging up the right channel with great vigour before delivering a precise cross to the far post that was eventually just knocked wide of the mark by the onrushing Stuart Dallas.

United, having started steadily with each player conscientious and aware of his responsibilities, had goalkeeper Rob Green to congratulate on seven minutes. Britt Assombalonga, one of the Championship’s most prodigious striking talents merely a matter of years ago, unleashed a venomous volley packed with power toward goal, but was denied by an athletic fingertip save from the former England goalkeeper.

Five minutes passed before Leeds managed to put the ball into the back of the net - only for Chris Wood to be deemed offside after slotting home following a Pablo Hernandez free-kick. The hosts would continue to apply pressure upon the Nottingham Forest back line, with subtle, slick build-up on the left channel involving Hernandez and Chris Wood culminating in Stuart Dallas firing a rising effort over the crossbar.

Four minutes prior to the half-time interval, a sumptuous, splitting ball from Pablo Hernandez found Kemar Roofe on the edge of the Forest penalty area, but the former Oxford United talisman could only drag a left-footed effort wide of the mark - though the quality of the initial pass from Hernandez could only be considered as being ingenious.

HT - Leeds United 0-0 Nottingham Forest

In contrast to recent matches, there were scant few chances of note during the first-half. Although Leeds had begun steadily and one would have been vacuous to pour scorn on their diligence, a similar description would have been applicable to their counterparts from the East Midlands. The football of Forest was comparatively bereft of any exuberance or innovation, but match United’s labour they did.

Second-Half

As the home side had begun first-half proceedings, it was the prerogative of the visitors to begin the second.

After an energetic start to the second-half, United established a 1-0 advantage over their opponents with just 10 second-half minutes elapsed. In contrast to the first-half, Leeds established a firm hegemony in the middle of the park, confining their opponents to the constraints of their own half, and as the pressure upon a porous Forest defence swelled, the Whites soon landed a tangible blow. The towering Kyle Bartley knocked down a Pablo Hernandez corner into the path of Chris Wood, who unmercifully tucked the ball into the back of the net from close proximity before being mobbed by each and every one of his teammates. The euphoria that ensued was comprehensible; for Wood had scored goal number 20 of a prolific season in 2016-17.

A period of quiet followed, with Leeds firmly in control of the match without pursuing relentlessly a second goal. But this period, devoid of clear-cut chances and goalmouth action, was soon a distant memory to those in attendance at Elland Road when the game entered the 74th minute. Pablo Hernandez whipped in a swift corner that was headed aimlessly into the direction of Souleymane Doukara…
Who, at the first time of asking, without taking a conservative approach and controlling the ball before performing his next act of attack, elected to hammer the ball, right-footed, on the volley, into the top-left corner from 20 yards. A thunderbolt, a howitzer, a piece of sheer wizardry and class, reminiscent of one Tony Yeboah, and that is not said lightly. 2-0 to the hosts, with the points now firmly in the palms of the wily tactical mastermind Garry Monk.

Leeds, buoyed by the ecstasy that manifested as a result of Doukara’s resplendent rocket of a strike, then surged forward, egged on by an enthused crowd of fanatical supporters, in pursuit of a third goal. When Michael Mancienne gifted possession to Chris Wood with a perfunctory mistake, the unanimous prediction of those inside Elland Road was that Wood would surely double his tally for the night. Alas, he did not, opting to fire over from long range rather than attempt a more elaborate manoeuvre and round the goalkeeper. A pardonable act given his free-scoring form this season, but had he converted the opportunity with the aplomb that has been customary of him this season, it would have been the icing on a splendidly crafted cake.

United would have to settle for a 2-0 win, an outcome that remains a satisfactory one in spite of another near miss from Kemar Roofe’s volley just a matter of minutes prior to the full-time whistle.

FT - Leeds United 2-0 Nottingham Forest (Wood 55’, Doukara 74’)

An anticipated victory but a wholly gratifying one at that. Though Leeds were prosaic in the first-half, the Whites soon rekindled the exuberant, energetic, and iron-willed spirit that has served them so well throughout the current campaign. A firm hegemony of the midfield was established even in the early flickers of the second-half, one that lasted throughout the entirety of the game’s remainder.

Wood’s goal was scored without any difficulty at all; the New Zealand international converting a clear-cut chance in a facile manner, while Doukara’s goal was exquisite, sumptuous, and will plausibly be a contender for the goal of the season award come the conclusion of the aforementioned campaign. Forest, though doggedly competitive for much of the match’s early running, soon became forlorn not long after the interval as their risible fitness levels waned, and their opponents were unsparing in their orchestration of their downfall, in no mood at all for displaying magnanimity.

United's victory tonight is their sixth successive home league win, and in those matches, the Whites have made zilch concessions to visiting sides.

Man Of The Match

Luke Ayling, Defender (8.0 Statistical Match Rating)

The spirited full-back, signed for an inconsequential sum of less than £1 million from Bristol City in the summer transfer window, once more demonstrated the fact that he was grotesquely undervalued by the management at Ashton Gate with yet another impeccable performance.

Pass Success - 88%

Aerial Duels Won - 4

Tackles Won - 7

Media: Victorious Leeds United head coach Garry Monk and a beleaguered Gary Brazil

Garry Monk, speaking to the BBC:

"Credit to Forest in the first half - their game plan to slow the tempo was lowering our intensity and pace of play, which was making it difficult for us and making it a much more even game.

"I said at half-time that we needed to up our intensity and we made a couple of tweaks. We looked very dangerous, controlled the second half, scored two really good goals and could have had a few more.

"The pleasing bit was that we bounced back from a defeat. It's something that we talked about in pre-season, something that we felt was important as a group - if we suffer a defeat, we make sure we react straight away. That was the pleasing bit because that was the most important bit."

Gary Brazil, also speaking to the BBC:

"I felt in the first half we were the better team, we got ourselves a couple of good chances we didn't take, we defended well and played some good football. We knew our opponents, and knew they were in good form and handled it fantastically in the first half.

"In the second half we lost tempo, it's something we'll work on, we need to maintain the tempo from the first half and we didn't, we fell away a bit.

"We lost to a set-piece and a worldie goal. I didn't think there was much in the teams at all, there was a lot in the performance to be pleased with, we need to get fitter and we know we need to keep working on the training ground."

Match Statistics and Facts

Stats - (Leeds/Forest)

Possession - 47% / 53%

Shots - 16 / 6

On Target - 2 / 1

Corners - 4 / 3

Tackles Won - 27 / 15

Fouls - 16 / 14

Referee - Tony Harrington

Booked - Ayling (Leeds).

Attendance - 24,838

Writer’s Verdict

A fantastic result and an exemplary demonstration of how to respond to the bout of dismay that a defeat can visit upon a team. Our tenacity in the tackle and a sheer will to win once again prevailed and we can now look forth to an FA Cup clash at Sutton United on Sunday afternoon.

Photo: Action Images

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