- Home form: Forest are undefeated at home in all competitions (W3, D3), with 10 goals scored.
- Recent scalps: Leeds have won four of their last five games, including big scalps RB Leipzig (2-0) and FC Augsburg (4-0).
- Away form: Leeds have one win and one loss in their last two away from home across all competitions.
Compact Reds can shut off Leeds’ flow
Odds and recent meetings
Nottingham Forest are 2.18 favorites for Tuesday's EFL Cup 2026-2027 clash at City Ground, but Leeds United at 3.1 and the draw at 3.45 are slightly overpriced, with a good case for the Whites in this one. The hosts have won two of the last three head-to-head meetings at home, but Leeds are on a run and beat the Reds 3-1 in the Premier League in the 2025/2026 campaign.
Form and tactics
Forest are unbeaten at home this term with three wins and three draws from six games across all competitions, so it is unlikely that Oliver Glasner's side can keep a lid on Leeds' attacking flair.
Glasner's players are solid but not spectacular across the season so far with four wins, three draws and three defeats in the last ten across all competitions, so they are not the dominant favourites by any stretch. Glasner has brought some structure to Forest since taking over on 6 July 2026 and his side usually sets up in a compact 4-2-3-1 shape, sitting deep and hitting on the break with fast vertical play.
Leeds look to press and rush through
Leeds' attacking talent is well-suited to playing through the thirds, but they are just as good at controlling the game when Daniel Farke's team can keep possession or pressing in bursts to turn Forest over in the middle third.
A win for Leeds wouldn't be a total surprise as they are in better form and will be looking to press Forest into submission while the Reds will want to sit and let Leeds press on to them. However, Forest's home record looks too good to ignore and their organization could slow Leeds down, so an under 2.5 or Both Teams To Score selection is a better fit for this matchup.
Over 2.5 goals is 1.8 and Both Teams to Score - Yes is 1.65.
- The Whites have won six, drawn one and lost three of their last ten games across all competitions, making them the sharper team by that measure.
- Farke has done a good job since taking over on 4 July 2023, when his side were in disarray, and his rotation game keeps his team fresh and able to play at a tempo that suits them.
- United usually line up in a 4-2-3-1 or back-three system in which they can flood the middle of the park with players and the players press in numbers when the ball goes wide.
