Nottingham Forest v Leeds: Premier League – live

Key events

Show key events only

Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature

Meslier, in goal for Leeds, is referred to as “the customary Frenchman” on Sky.

The teams are lined up in the tunnel. We are under five minutes from kick-off.

Are you as excited as I am?

Patrick Bamford of Leeds has a chat: “We’ve played well in patches in a lot of games … ideally we’ll get wins in the league, but winning in the cup breeds a bit of confidence …

“I’ve come back now in a much better mental and physical place. I am enjoying my football again.”

Jesse Marsch speaks: “Patrick [Bamford] is in his best form since I’ve known him … he’s playing with a lot of quality right now and scoring for fun.

“We also have Georginio on the bench … Weston has had a really good week of training and he will feature [as a starter] in one of the three matches we have this week.

“Points are at a premium right now … but I also try to reinforce a lot of positivity … I feel good about the process, and the progress that we’ve made. Now we need a result today to prove all that.”

“It’s an interesting match up today for many reasons, between two clubs with a lot in common,” emails Jeremy. “As the song lyrics have it “the ties that bound us are still around us”, but let’s leave it there and not complete the verse: “There’s no escape that I can see.” They are both “loveable” sleeping giants who have finally and thankfully made it back to the big boys playground after a (too) lengthy absence, they both briefly threatened to break up the “big club” hegemony of their heyday periods, winning Cups and titles for fun. Both of the great sides featured their talismanic small-in-stature/huge-personality Scottish firebrand midfielders (Bremner/Gemmill). And then there’s Cloughie, the years at Forest, the 56 [was it 56 or 44? – Ed.] days at Leeds.

“I would include winning the European Cup in the ties, except some pedant would point out that Leeds didn’t. As all Leeds fans have know since that fateful evening in Paris, Leeds DID win the European Cup, but it was stolen from them by a dodgy refereeing decision and Gerd Müller. In an ideal world both of these teams will escape the drop, so a point each today would suit that narrative. All the same, as a life-long NastyLeeds supporter I am obviously for all 3 going to the whites. 2 - 0 Forest then.”

Sky Sports have just shown a feature about Green Football Weekend, which aims to encourage fans to take action on climate change and make sustainable choices.

Graeme Souness reveals that he hasn’t eaten meat for several years now, although more on ethical than environmental grounds.

I’ve got a funny feeling that this is going to be a really good game today.

What do you think? You can email me or tweet @LukeMcLaughlin

Rob Smyth is blogging Manchester United v Everton in the WSL right here – it’s deadlocked at 0-0 currently and into the final 20:

Teams

The deadline-day signing and three-times Champions League winner, Navas, is straight into the Forest starting lineup in goal. Felipe and Andre Ayew, another couple of new arrivals, are on the bench while Gibbs-White is back after an ankle injury earlier than expected. Danilo makes his first Premier League start for the club.

For Leeds, Patrick Bamford will lead the line – Jesse Marsch was talking up his current condition on Friday – while Weston McKennie is on the bench.

Nottingham Forest: Navas, Mangala, Williams, Gibbs-White, Johnson, Freuler, McKenna, Danilo, Boly, Lodi, Wood. Substitutes: Hennessy, Worrall, Colback, Lingard, Surridge, Aurier, Scarpa, Ayew, Felipe.

Leeds: Meslier, Ayling, Struijk, Cooper, Wober, Adams, Roca, Harrison, Sinisterra, Bamford, Gnonto. Substitutes: Robles, Firpo, Kristensen, Greenwood, Aaronson, Summerville, McKennie, Joseph, Georginio.

The Forest manager Steve Cooper has a chat with Sky Sports and is asked about their recent good run: “If I’m being honest we are only thinking of what’s next … we want to improve and strive to get better … We are only looking forward. It’s a great game to look forward to, and be part of.

“The supporters have been excellent. It’s something we’ve used well … that definitely helps. I just feel like we now know what we want to look like, and what we look like at our best.

“We’ve got to keep striving to improve that … we’ve always got that motivation to be at the level required … it’s a lot of work going on, a lot of focus … we’re only thinking about what’s next.”

Cooper is asked about Keylar Navas, who joined on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in January and is set to start today with Dean Henderson out. “He’s only been in for a couple of days,” says Cooper. “We’re delighted Keylar has joined us … he’s showed great humility and work rate … he’s really wanted to understand what the club is and how we play … he was very keen to come, which is non-negotiable with me. We are looking forward to working with him.”

Preamble

Question: What do Brian Clough and Liz Truss have in common?

Answer: They both infamously held down a high-profile job for 44 days.

In fact, it may have been 45 for Truss, but let’s not get bogged down in the detail. In Clough’s case it was of course his time as manager of Leeds, a story so endlessly told it has become a cliche. On the weekend that Truss seemingly attempts to relaunch her frontline political career, however, I am claiming special dispensation. It’s very difficult to imagine the former PM mounting the kind of spectacular comeback that Clough achieved after being sacked by Leeds and taking over at Forest.

Anyway, Nottingham Forest v Leeds. Steve Cooper’s men are on a good run in the Premier League, unbeaten in four, with a couple of wins and a couple of draws. They were comfortably dispatched by Manchester United over two legs in the Carabao Cup semi-final, but there is no shame in that.

Leeds aren’t in such fine fettle results-wise, winless in four, although three of those were draws so things could be considerably worse. Jesse Marsch certainly talked a good game in his Friday press conference on the progress he feels is being made, and gave special mention to the form and fitness of Patrick Bamford. Leeds are 17th, Forest are 14th, and this promises to be a competitive affair that could go all the way up to 11.

Kick-off: 2pm