Leeds United have turned a long-standing Nottingham Forest hoodoo into a confidence-boosting winning run.
Daniel Farke’s side defeated Forest 2-0 in the Carabao Cup second round on Tuesday night, completing a remarkable double at the City Ground just days after securing a dramatic 1-0 Premier League victory at the same venue.
For a club that had not won at Nottingham Forest since 1972 before last weekend, two victories in the space of just over three days represent a huge statement from the newly promoted side.
The latest success was also more convincing. After a closely fought league encounter on Saturday, Leeds controlled large periods of Tuesday’s cup clash and eventually found their reward after the interval.
Dan James opened the scoring before James Justin added a second to settle the contest and send Leeds into the next round.
For Farke, the result was not simply about progressing in the competition. The German manager was particularly pleased with the level of performance from his players.
“This is what we came for, and this was my main goal.
“You play a cup run to go through. Very happy with the level of the performance, because we had to wait very long for a win here at Nottingham and to do this two times within three days at such a tough ground, this remarkable level of performance was outstanding.
“Saturday was really a tight game, but today I think it’s not in doubt that it was a fully deserved win.”
The contrast between Leeds’ recent history at the City Ground and their current form could hardly be sharper.
Before Saturday, Forest had enjoyed the upper hand over Leeds on home soil for more than five decades.
Now, Farke’s men have walked away with two wins in the space of four days.
The first victory came through a late winner in the Premier League opener. Tuesday’s result was different, with Leeds showing greater control before pulling away in the second half.
That progression will please Farke as his team adapts to life back in the Premier League.
The Carabao Cup victory also gives Leeds valuable momentum ahead of the demanding fixtures to come.
Winning twice at the same difficult venue in such a short period is rarely straightforward, particularly against a Forest side capable of making the City Ground an intimidating environment.
Farke therefore viewed the achievement as evidence of the mentality within his squad.
The Leeds boss also made clear that the objective was never simply to put on a good performance. The priority was progression, and his players delivered.
With goals from James and Justin completing the job, Leeds can now look forward to the next stage of the competition with growing confidence.
The bigger challenge, however, remains maintaining that level in the Premier League.
For now, Farke and his players have every reason to enjoy their City Ground double. Two games. Two wins. Two clean sheets. Leeds are making noise.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
