Leeds United to debut James Trafford against Forest

James Trafford will make his full debut for Leeds United in goal against Nottingham Forest on Saturday, 22 August 2026, as the club also faces injury concerns with Gabriel Gudmundsson, Willy Gnonto, Lucas Perri and Ilia Gruev. Forest, under new manager Oliver Glasner, will also be missing Ryan Yates and Nicolo Savona. The match will take place at the City Ground at 15:00 BST and will not be broadcast in the UK.

Match Preview

The Premier League season opens on Saturday, 22 August 2026, with Leeds United travelling to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest. The match kicks off at 15:00 BST, will be refereed by Robert Jones with VAR Craig Pawson, and will not be televised in the United Kingdom due to the 3 pm Saturday blackout.

The sides last met in February 2026, with Leeds winning 3-1 at Elland Road. Forest finished 16th last season and have appointed Oliver Glasner, who guided Crystal Palace to a Conference League and FA Cup triumph. Leeds, managed by Daniel Farke, finished 14th in their first season back in the top flight and reached an FA Cup semi-final.

Nottingham Forest Team News

Forest are missing Ryan Yates, who is sidelined with a minor issue, and Nicolo Savona, who has suffered a setback in his knee injury recovery. Glasner said the squad is “not at 100 % but on a good track” after recent tactical changes. The club’s new £34 million signing, Ousmane Diomande, is expected to debut in a back-three, while Xaver Schlager is also pushing for a first start in central midfield following Elliot Anderson’s club-record departure.

Leeds United Team News

Leeds will also be without Gabriel Gudmundsson and Willy Gnonto, both out with thigh injuries, and goalkeeper Lucas Perri, who is dealing with a similar problem. Ilia Gruev’s involvement remains unclear after only partially reintegrating into training following a long-term knee issue. Daniel Farke confirmed that all other players, including new signing Nico Elvedi, are fit. James Trafford, the club-record £40 million signing from Manchester City, will make his full debut in goal, with Tarik Muharemović also in line to start at centre-back.

Form

Glasner’s first competitive game in charge follows a productive pre-season that included a 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen and a 2-0 victory over Brest. The switch to a back-three mirrors the system that brought Glasner success at Crystal Palace, and the arrivals of Diomande and Schlager suggest a squad being reshaped in that image. With Anderson sold, a fresh midfield battle has opened up between Nicolás Domínguez and James McAtee.

Leeds have won four of six pre-season fixtures, scoring 13 goals and conceding six, highlighted by a 4-2 comeback win over Liverpool in Chicago and a 4-0 win over Augsburg in their final warm-up. Leeds lost their opening league fixture in just two of their last 18 top-flight campaigns. Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle have signed new contracts this week, offering stability at the back as the club begins its second consecutive Premier League season.