Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Prediction, Lineups, Betting Pick, Latest Carabao Cup Odds - Tuesday, August 25th
Nottingham Forest host Leeds in an intriguing League Cup clash at the City Ground. Get the latest lineups, team news, and match prediction for Tuesday, August 25th in the EFL Carabao Cup.
OC Staff - August 25, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT
3 Minute ReadNottingham Forest vs Leeds: Lineups, Team News and Prediction
Nottingham Forest host Leeds in an intriguing League Cup clash at the City Ground on Tuesday, August 25th, with kick-off scheduled for 3 PM ET. As this is a cup tie, standard league standings are set aside, but both teams will be highly motivated to secure their place in the next round of the tournament and build early-season momentum.
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Form
The hosts enter this fixture determined to bounce back after suffering a narrow 1-0 home defeat to this very opponent in their last competitive outing. The Tricky Trees have experienced a mixed run of form across their last six matches, which included encouraging pre-season victories over Brest (2-0) and Bayer Leverkusen (2-1), but also saw them fall to defeats against Barcelona and Sporting CP.
The visitors, meanwhile, travel to Nottingham in buoyant mood following that opening-day victory on hostile ground. The away side has enjoyed excellent overall form, remaining undefeated in normal time over their last six matches. Their impressive run includes a high-scoring 4-2 win against Liverpool and a commanding 4-0 victory over Augsburg, showcasing a potent attacking threat that they will hope to replicate in cup competition.
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Head to Head
The most recent meeting between these two rivals took place just days ago, where a late strike was enough to hand Leeds a 1-0 victory at the City Ground. Looking back at their last six encounters across all competitions, the West Yorkshire outfit has generally held the upper hand, claiming four victories compared to two wins for Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Odds
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Monday, August 25th, 2026
- Time: 3:00 PM ET
- Where to Watch: Paramount+
Click here for complete Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Odds
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Probable Lineups
Nottingham Forest (3-4-2-1): Victor; Netz, Milenkovic, Cunha; Williams, Schlager, Dominguez, Aina; Hudson-Odoi, Ndoye; Wood
Leeds (3-4-2-1): Perri; Muharemovic, Bijol, Elvedi; Justin, Longstaff, Tanaka, Bogle; James, Okafor; Calvert-Lewin
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Team News
The home side will be forced to make changes as Ryan Yates and Nicolo Savona are both ruled out through injury. However, they will be boosted by the expected return of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Xaver Schlager to the starting lineup, while the experienced Chris Wood is set to lead the attack, with Igor Jesus dropping to the bench.
The visitors also have personnel issues to navigate, with Mateo Joseph, Gabriel Gudmundsson, and Wilfried Gnonto all confirmed absentees due to injury. In positive news for the travelling fans, Noah Okafor and Sean Longstaff are expected to step into the starting XI, while Nico Elvedi is tipped to replace Joe Rodon in the back three.
Nottingham Forest vs Leeds Match Facts
There are no specific historical match facts available for this League Cup fixture.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Leeds
The hosts will be desperate to avenge their recent league defeat, but this match is likely to be a tight affair decided by how heavily each side decides to rotate. Both teams possess tactical flexibility in their matched 3-4-2-1 formations, which should lead to a fascinating midfield battle. Given Leeds' resilient form and Forest's home advantage, a hard-fought 1-1 draw in normal time seems the most likely outcome before penalties decide who progresses.
Best Bet: Full-Time Draw Click here to get the best odds at DraftKings Sportsbook
With very little separating these two teams in their meeting last weekend, backing a draw at the end of 90 minutes represents excellent value. Both managers are dealing with key defensive absences, which could lead to a cautious approach as they look to avoid costly errors.
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