Nottingham Forest 0-2 Leeds United ended the Reds’ Carabao Cup campaign at the first attempt on Tuesday night, with the visitors winning at the City Ground for the second time in three days to reach the third round. Dan James struck five minutes after the interval and a Neco Williams own goal settled it, leaving Oliver Glasner still waiting for his first win as Forest head coach.
How Nottingham Forest 0-2 Leeds unfolded
Daniel Farke’s side had already won 1-0 here on the opening weekend, and the Guardian noted that before Saturday Leeds had not won at the City Ground since 1972. Two visits later they have two wins and three goals. Forest, who named a much-changed side without the injured captain Morgan Gibbs-White, entered this competition in round two and are out of it by late August — and with no European football at the City Ground this season, the fixture list has just got a good deal shorter. BBC Sport and Sky Sports both had it as a comfortable night for Leeds, and the club confirmed the exit on its official site.
Glasner: ‘I am no magician’
The Austrian’s assessment afterwards was blunt. “Right now, we are far away from where we want to be,” Glasner said. “The fact is that this team had a relegation battle for nine months. But then maybe your best midfielder leaves the club and now we expect we compete for European places because Oliver Glasner is in. Sorry, this is what I can’t deliver within six weeks. I’m no magician, no messiah, just hard work.”
Next up is Liverpool away on Saturday, by which point Glasner should finally have his centre-forward: Forest have agreed a club-record deal with Chelsea for Liam Delap. On the evidence of two nights against Leeds, the Tricky Trees need him.
