Sky Sports Premier League Podcast
Leeds thump Forest to give PL survival hopes big boost
06 Feb 2026
Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
This is the Sky Sports Premier League podcast. Thanks for joining us. The weekend kicked off with Friday night football action between Leeds and Nottingham Forest at Elland Road. Here is how the game finished. Elland Road back in business with a big three points in what felt like a six-pointer.
They overcome Nottingham Forest in some style it must be said Dominic Calvert-Lewin with a third of their goals on a night which saw Jadon Vogel and Okafor find the net as well Luka scoring his first goal for Nottingham Forest from the bench to give them some hope but not enough on a really under par night for Sean Dyche's men, as they still have work to do to keep away from Wichita United.
But for Leeds United, it's a big step on their big goal of securing safety this season. Ellen Rhodes playing his pass again, their home form is so important. And nearly for Daniel Parker, the United It's the new signing for Nottingham Forest.
Chapter 2: What happened in the Leeds vs Nottingham Forest match?
And as that famous song rings around this famous stadium, they've held their side tonight, sealed three points. That is so important in this race to stay in the Premier League, but Nottingham Forest, they'll have to look ahead. They know there's still a long road ahead. Two Newcastle boys. Newcastle boys in a few words.
Not many good words to say about Nottingham Forest tonight, but a lot of good words to say for Leeds United tonight. Final score, Leeds United 3, Nottingham Forest 1. Well, Stuart Dallas has been part of plenty of nights like this. Put this into context, Stuart. It feels like a huge night for Leeds. Yeah, a huge win.
Great performance, first and foremost. He's enjoyed it. Yeah, it's huge for the club. Of course it is. We talked about how big the game was before it and what it would mean to both sides if they could get a win. Thankfully, Leeds have come out on top and they were excellent throughout the game. It's a huge, huge win. Psychologically, a big boost for them as well ahead of it.
A weekend full of fixtures. And yet again, it's the floodlights doing the trick. There's something in the air up in Yorkshire, for sure. But, yeah, difficult conditions tonight, I think. You see the pitch, the wind, the rain. It was really difficult for the players. They put a lot of effort into that. So Daniel will be really pleased.
I know he'll be disappointed with the goal that they concede at the end. But, yeah, you can see by his celebrations here how much he's enjoying it. And it's a huge, huge win for the football club.
This guy really gets them going, doesn't he, Michael? Rightly so, I mean it was a huge, huge football match and tonight Leeds United got what they deserved from start to finish. Well played from them. Dominic Calvert-Lewin getting his 10th Premier League goal. Positive response from that disappointing former to Arsenal. And that was such an important moment in the game, wasn't it?
That Dominic Calvert-Lewin struck so early in that second half when you were expecting a Forest response. I was. I was expecting a change of formation as well, if truth be known, from Northern Forest. But I'm sure Daniel Farker was as well. And he says, right, we go out and win that second half. We start bright. And that's what they did.
And when they got the third goal from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, it was very, very comfortable. Until the final minutes where you thought, could Forrest get back into it? But no, Leeds certainly deserve the win. It feels to it like there's this real belief growing for Leeds, from the manager all the way through to the fans, that they're going to be absolutely fine. What do you think?
It's easier to say it now after the game, for sure.
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Chapter 3: How did Leeds United's performance impact their Premier League survival hopes?
Daniel Parker continues taking the applause the fans well-earned let's get some reaction because James Justin one of the stars of the night is with Juliet Farrington
James, a filthy night, but you enjoyed it, didn't you, despite the weather?
Yeah, definitely. It's always nice to take the three points back to a training ground, and obviously we deserved it today. We put in the graft, and that was the basis. Obviously, last week against Arsenal wasn't our best performance, but to bounce back from it, the lads all put in a great shift tonight under the circumstances, and yeah, it's a massive three points.
When I was talking to Daniel Parker after that defeat against Arsenal, he wasn't really going to dwell on it. And that was the message I'm guessing that he gave to the players in the week.
Yeah, I mean, there are some games in the Premier League where a team just blows you away, especially a team with their quality. And if you don't turn up on the day at your absolute best, then things like that will happen. But obviously it was swept to one side and we had to focus on the big game that was tonight and we did the job.
I know you were withdrawn in that game and there was a question mark over your fitness as well, but did you feel, you just used that expression, blown away? Did you blow Forest away tonight?
I wouldn't say blown away, but we had a good set-up going into the game and we understood what we needed to do and everyone came together. The boys that came on did a great job as well and it was nice to score three goals at home.
What is it about the home form?
I don't know. Honestly, I can't put my finger on it. As you see, the crowd, they're all leaving now, but I don't know, there's something special about night games here.
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Chapter 4: What were the standout moments in the match?
Tactically, it felt from the start that you had the edge in it. What was behind that, do you think, Dominic?
We've just done today what we've been doing for the past few weeks, just executing our game plan on the ball and off the ball, trying to dominate possession and just manage the game, mature as we go through the season. I think we did that very well today. Again, not getting carried away, it's a massive three points for us, but one we can take confidence from.
Well, here in the studio, we were speculating at half-time about what Forest's response was going to be. In the end, it was you that had the big say at the start of that second half, which really swung the game massively in your favour. So talk us through the goal itself, Dominic. We can see you on the back post. We can see Gruev eventually picks it up. What are you thinking here?
Just be on my toes. You know, if the ball drops, be alive. I can see the centre-half's number, so I know he can't see me. And then just made my run across him. Just, you know... Usual centre-forward play, get across your man, and thankfully Ilya's, I don't know if it's a cross or a shot, but he improvised and chested it in. It might be a cross, actually.
Dominic Michael Dawson, congratulations tonight. 10th Premier League goal of the season. When you went into Leeds United, did you have a target set out of how many goals you were going to get?
I think when you go into any season, double figures is what you've got to aim for as a number nine in this league and double figures and above. So it's nice to obviously hit that milestone at the moment, but I'm hungry for more. I'm striving every day to improve and just keep scoring more goals.
Dom, it's Stu here. Congratulations, pal. I just wanted to ask, obviously there was a lot of speculation around transfers in January, talk about bringing in a new striker. How much confidence does it give you and belief does it give you that the club have shown so much belief in you?
Yes, it's all you want as a player and especially as a striker. You need the confidence to feed off and for me, the faith and the belief that the club and the fan base and the managers put in me has helped me a lot and I like to think I'm repaying that and I'm really enjoying my football and enjoying my time and just enjoying leading the line as I always have done.
It doesn't matter how you score them, whether it's your right foot, your left foot, your head, or indeed your Superman chest. So was this a last-minute decision?
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Chapter 5: How did the weather affect the game at Elland Road?
It's very canny, but unfortunately it's spoilt what was a lovely piece of artwork that you were developing, Dom, your goal chart from this season, because you'll be well aware of this. You have this lovely straight line, and look how skewed that last one is now.
Yeah, you can't keep going in a straight line forever. Look, I don't mind Adi going and where I score on from as long as he hit the back of the net.
I mean, Carlo Ancelotti used to talk to you about being between the posts, didn't he? But being the width of the penalty spot, I mean, that's just ridiculous, isn't it?
Yeah, I saw it a couple of weeks ago, you know, when it was going around the goal line and obviously scoring goals centrally. But that's where I've thrived. That's where I've thrived previously. And that's where, you know, if the lads can feed me and give me service, I'll always be on the spot and ready to score.
Dom, Dors has alluded to it already, but the fact you've hit double figures again and for the first time since 2021, how important is it for you to have done that again in a Leeds United shirt as well?
Yeah, it's big. I've not done it for a while, so it's something I've been striving for since the last time I did it. It's just another one to add to the tally, and I'm hungry for more, like I said before, and just game by game, step by step.
But also I understand that I'm judged on goals, as every centre-forward is, but I try to lead by example and bring as much experience to the team as possible.
So, Tom, that dressing room must be bouncing right now. What's the mood in there? Is that Leeds United safe?
No, come on. It's step by step. I know you boys like to get carried away. But for us, it was a massive game. We knew it and we knew we had to get three points today. And thankfully we have. And it's a step in the right direction. And we'll just be working, pushing, motivated even more to keep going up the table.
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Chapter 6: How did Dominic Calvert-Lewin contribute to Leeds' win?
Thank you. Just wondered if I might catch him with that little one at the end, just as when he was feeling nice and relaxed. I'm definitely not getting carried away for sure.
What an asset he's been, eh? He's been incredible and he's very, very measured in the way he speaks and conducts himself. You know, I've seen a number of interviews that he's done in the past and he speaks really well and he brings experience to the team as well. You know, Premier League experience, which is huge and You know, for the club to get him on a free, it's massive for them.
And, you know, he touched on about repaying the club and he's doing that. You know, 10 goals, as Doss says, is a good return for the stage this season.
Because he'd had a very quiet first half. He wasn't really involved too much, was he, in the general play of Leeds United. But it's not something that phases a player of that experience. When you're a goalscorer and you're going into it and you have your self-belief, which Dominic certainly does have at this moment in time, he dried up a little bit in recent weeks, but he's always that threat.
And me and Stu were touching on it. You look at his chances and goals. He had them against Manchester United at the post, gets across the...
the defender tonight gets across a defender he's not just a player that you can hang time played against him when he was a really young player when he was at Sheffield United and I was at Hull City I remember Harry Maguire saying to me get ready for this young centre forward he can leap I went don't worry I'll be alright I'll be able to beat him yet wow the leap and hang time that he has to catch you out
Oh, yeah, he caught me out a few times. Yeah, I mean, incredible. And he's certainly repaying Leeds United, the faith that they've showed in bringing him in.
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Chapter 7: What strategies did Leeds employ to secure their victory?
But also what Stu said. We got asked about should they have brought players in the transfer window. Why? You've got Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Nemeche didn't come off the bench. Pirou didn't come off the bench. You're thinking, why overhauled? He's certainly repaying them.
I think the system change is suiting them perfectly. I think earlier on in the season when they were playing a 4-3-3, you know, they were struggling to create chances. And I think the system change, whether it be 3-5-2 or 3-4-3, they're getting more bodies around them. The wing-backs are getting up to support them. They're putting crosses in. They're playing their strengths as well.
And I think it's huge. And obviously, like any striker, when you get a goal, it fills you full of confidence. And he's just feeding off that. Do you think that was design or in some ways accident? The change of... Yeah. Yeah, I think...
It was probably, I think the way the club recruited, it was, you know, looking in from a fan point of view, I was thinking we need to, like, Leeds need to change shape. But away at Man City, obviously, Daniel James gets injured at half-time. It was Willy Nonto's first start in a while. He didn't have a great first half, so take him off with DJ getting injured. He had to do something.
And you're 2-0 down away to City, you're probably thinking... you know, change shape here and maybe just keep it at two because, you know, it could easily go three, four, five. And they change it, they get back into the game, a good second-half performance, and then they go and they blow Chelsea away midweek. And I was at the Chelsea game and Chelsea had no answers to them.
Whether he's fell into it or not, I'm sure the manager will say different. Well, he's listening to you right now. Yeah, well, one thing I will say is he's not afraid to change it. He's very, very clever and, you know, it's shown now.
Well, here he is, Daniel Farker, waiting to talk to us. And Daniel, congratulations, first of all. I don't know if you heard what Stuart Dallas was saying then. We were talking about this formation change, you know, some weeks ago now. But it feels like since you made that change at halftime at Manchester City, the team, the club, yourself have not looked back. So was it always part of the plan?
No, I think of course we played an emphatic second half at Man City and to play in a different base formation gave us another boost. But we've changed the base formation so often during the season. Sometimes a hybrid team against the ball in a different base formation than with the ball. All the credit goes to my players because they're so flexible so far during the season.
we don't have the best individual qualities so for that sometimes you have to mirror your opponent to take their strength away to bring our principles and different base formation on the pitch and it's one of our strengths that are not predictable and for that many many compliments to the players because of course you can have an idea and you can try with your tools also to bring it to the heads and to the souls of the players but it's up to them to bring it under pressure in difficult situations on the pitch and they've done it today again in a fantastic manner.
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Chapter 8: What does this win mean for Nottingham Forest's season?
Yes, very proud, as you know, Michael. So it's always important how you respond after a difficult result. And so far, we have more or less always responded after a difficult result. And also, there are sometimes games that are, of course, also just three points, but it feels a bit more important. And whenever the pressure was on and we had to deliver, we have delivered.
And this is a sign of winning mentality. And this is also what the lads have through. You could feel today, also the whole day, and also during the whole game at halftime. And... how much it meant to them and the desire also to bring it over the line.
So I'm pretty happy with this mature behavior as well that we showed also like in the moment when we were asked the quality to perform on this level and also to reward ourselves with three points. It's a sign of winning mentality and I'm pretty proud of that today.
Daniel, it's Stu. I just want to ask you about Ilya Gruev. I myself, I know what he brings to the team. Maybe from the outside looking in, people don't see it. I think tonight he was outstanding, probably one of his best games in a Leeds shirt. And I know you pushed hard to bring him to the club. Just how important is he to this team and to the system that you play?
Yeah.
Yes, I agree. He's outstanding. He's always solid, always reliable. You can always count on him. You always get a 7 out of 10 performance. But I agree, he was pretty close to 10 out of 10 today. Looked a bit like a mix out of whatever, Stoichkov, Bulgarian roots. Oh, wow. Lothar MatthƤus in his prime, he defended everything.
He was there with two assists as well, played key passes in the offence, showed great skills on the ball and also great desire after his injury. He was full of blood in the dressing room in his face, but also he embodies more or less everything what Leeds United is all about. We are perhaps not perfect, but we show great quality and also great desire and also like to improve from... week to week.
And I totally agree with you. He was outstanding today.
And we want to throw this at you as well, Daniel. This incredible record that Leeds United continue to have under you in night matches. I don't think you've ever lost one in the league at Elland Road. And here you are this season, five wins out of five in evening games. This can't be a coincidence, Daniel.
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