Leeds v Nottingham Forest: Back a Friday night draw & 7/2 Bet Builder at Elland Road | OneFootball

Paul Higham is backing the draw in his match preview for Leeds v Forest

Paul Higham thinks Nottingham Forest and Leeds will cancel each other out at Elland Road on Friday night, and also has a 7/2 Bet Builder to consider...

Leeds v Nottingham ForestFriday 6 February, 20:00 kick-offLive on Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event

There's an early start to the Premier League weekend under the lights at Elland Road and it's an important one with Leeds and Nottingham Forest level on points just outside the relegation zone.

They enjoy a six-point gap on the bottom three but defeat here for either would make for a nervy weekend watching West Ham in particular in action, while three points would give the winner some welcome breathing room.

Daniek Farke's hosts are favoured at 6/5 despite just one win in seven - but it's been a tough run of fixtures with some creditable draws at Sunderland, Liverpool and Everton and at home to Man Utd. Last weekend's 4-0 defeat to Arsenal was their first real disappointing display in a while.

This is an instant chance to put that right at home, where they've won 19 of their 26 points and have only lost to the current top three in the table.

So it's a tough task for 12/5 Forest but they are on a nice four-game unbeaten run and four of their last five wins in the Premier League have come away from the City Ground.

The 11/10 on the half-time draw looks a decent shout - 11 Leeds games this season have been level at the break, that's the second-most in the division behind only Sunderland, while eight of Forest's 11 away league goals have come in the second half.

Leeds have enough to win this, but the combination of Forest's recent form and Sean Dyche's approach, which will be very much a safety first one away from home, really does play into the draw. It's also more of a must-not-lose game for both sides than a must-win.

English Premier League: Leeds v Nottm Forest (Match Odds)

Friday 6 February, 8.00pm

Count on cards under the lights

Forest haven't picked up a single booking in their last two league away games, but Brentford and West Ham aren't the same as a Friday night lights  game at Elland Road, so expect that run to end.

Leeds have been mixed recently on the disciplinary front, but they've had 2+ bookings in 10 games this season and after all this is a big game, with night games in front of the TV cameras always ramping up the atmosphere.

Six of those 10 games have been evening kick-offs as well, so Farke's boys obviously raise their intensity under floodlights. Overall they've has 19 bookings in 10 games playing at 5.30pm or later this season.

Bookings for both sides looks a decent price under the circumstances.

Back 7/2 player props Bet Builder

And onto a Bet Builder which is a mix of fouls and just a couple of shots on target, since I'm not expecting too many goals.

Elliott Anderson is the man for the fouls - leading Forest in both fouls for and against, both by a decent margin as well. Since he's away from home it's wiser to go for him committing the fouls in the hostile environment in West Yorkshire.

Morgan Gibbs-White has hit the target more than anyone else in the Forest squad, and although the visitors will likely sit he's a great option on the break and can also have a shot from distance.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin leads the way for shots on target in the Leeds squad and has had one in theee of his last four games for Farke's side, while he also managed one at the City Ground in just a 17-minute cameo at the end of the game.

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