Oliver Glasner's first match as Nottingham Forest manager is at the City Ground and he couldn't have asked for a trickier opening act. Leeds United arrive on 22 August 2026 as a promoted side under Daniel Farke but anyone expecting a comfortable afternoon for the hosts should check the injury list first. Both clubs have zero points and no league form to read and with no league data on either side, the injury lists are the only real information available.
Glasner took charge on 6 July after Vítor Pereira's departure and his reputation is built on compact defensive organisation and sharp transitions. Farke has had three years to bed in his ideas at Leeds, favouring a high press, wide overloads and build up from the back and the question now is whether they can carry all that into the Premier League. The arrivals of James Trafford and Harry Wilson during the summer suggest some ambition beyond simple survival.
Glasner and Farke haven't faced each other enough for any meaningful head to head ledger to exist and their setups clash in a fairly predictable way: one wants the ball, one doesn't. That asymmetry tends to produce scrappy, low scoring games rather than high tempo, transition heavy ones, which is probably what we'll get here.
Forest's pre season was encouraging without being definitive. They beat Stade Brestois 2-0 and Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 before losing narrowly to Barcelona, keeping a consistent back four across all three games. Pre season results against continental clubs in July mean roughly what you'd expect from friendlies and Leeds' tour of the United States served a similar purpose: Farke used it to embed new signings rather than chase wins. Neither side can tell you much about their league readiness from these games.
Forest's injury situation is a mess. Callum Hudson-Odoi is doubtful with a thigh issue, Nicolo Savona is out with a knee injury, Ryan Yates is unavailable with an undisclosed problem and Chris Wood carries a muscle concern that might keep him out entirely. Elliot Anderson has left for Manchester City, thinning the central midfield further and placing even more responsibility on Morgan Gibbs-White than usual.
Leeds aren't much better off, losing Wilfried Gnonto to a hamstring problem, Gabriel Gudmundsson to a combined hamstring and thigh complaint, Ilia Gruev to a knee injury and Lucas Perri in goal. Gnonto and Gudmundsson in particular are badly missed given how central they are to Farke's wide press system.
Glasner will probably set up in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, sitting compact and inviting Leeds to come onto them. With Wood's fitness uncertain and Hudson-Odoi a doubt, Gibbs-White may need to operate deeper than ideal, acting as the link between midfield and attack rather than the final creative threat, which is a lot to ask of someone who should be the most advanced player in that shape.
Leeds, without Gnonto and Gudmundsson on the flanks, will likely lean on Harry Wilson to provide width and creativity on the right. Wilson is new to the club and his ability to replicate what Gnonto brought in terms of relentless one on one pressing on the outside is unproven at this level. Farke's system is built on high press and wide overloads and losing two primary wide players before the season starts is a real problem. If Forest hold their defensive shape and deny Leeds the third man runs through the half spaces that Gnonto and Gudmundsson trigger, the game likely comes down to whoever wins the first corner or free kick in a dangerous area.
The battle worth watching is Gibbs-White against Leeds' midfield screen. If Leeds' holding midfielders push too high in the press, Gibbs-White dropping into the zone in front of them becomes the problem they haven't solved and from there Forest can exploit the gaps Gruev's absence leaves in Leeds' midfield press. If he gets pressed into oblivion, this might end 0-0.
Forest and Leeds have historically played tight, low scoring games at the City Ground and with both sides missing key players and both preferring controlled rather than chaotic football, nothing about this fixture points to a high scoring game.
Glasner is likely to prioritise set pieces as a weapon from the start and if Wood plays despite his muscle concern, his height and positioning at the near post make him difficult to mark at corners. Leeds, short on aerial cover with their absentees, will be vulnerable to exactly that. The City Ground crowd on an opening day generates real noise and Glasner will want to capitalise on it in the first half hour.
Without Gnonto, Gudmundsson, Gruev and Perri, Leeds can't run the press the way Farke needs it to work and that's what Forest are counting on. Forest have the structure and set piece threat to find goals even with Wood and Hudson-Odoi both doubtful and Gibbs-White should be able to exploit the gaps Gruev's absence leaves in Leeds' midfield press. Leeds should be able to recycle the ball in Forest's half without really converting it but not enough to find a second goal. Glasner gets his first league win, though a one goal lead in the final twenty minutes with Wood off the pitch will test whatever defensive shape he's built so far. Forest 2-1 Leeds.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
