Cuiabano completes Vasco da Gama loan movepublished at 16:42 GMT
16:42 GMT
Image source, Getty Images
Nottingham Forest have confirmed defender Cuiabano has joined Vasco de Gama on loan until the end of 2026, with the Brazilian Serie A side also holding the option to make the deal permanent.
The 22-year-old became the fourth player to sign for Forest from Botafogo over the summer, along with goalkeeper John Victor, striker Igor Jesus and fellow defender Jair Cunha, when he signed a a four-year deal on deadline day of the summer window.
However, Cuiabano has not made an appearance for Forest's first-team since the move.
Leeds 3-1 Nottingham Forest - the fans' verdictpublished at 12:17 GMT
Olivia: It was a great game to watch. Leeds showed so much flare and discipline. Really well managed and players giving everything for each other. I like the way James Justin stood up for Brenden Aaaronson when there was a bad tackle - no violence, just 'what do you think you're doing?' to the Forest player. The Leeds team is obviously enjoying their football. It's great to see Dan James back. Could have scored more and were creating lots but three is plenty... for now. Loved the crowd atmosphere. Bring on more evening games!
Peter: A superb result which was so very important. The attitude of every Leeds player was fantastic as always, working their socks of for each other. Played excellent football and it was a well-deserved result. We can't relax though as there's still a long way to go. In Daniel Farke we trust. MOT.
James: Farke has a point to prove after his previous experience taking Norwich City into the Premier League didn't end well. This time round with Leeds, he's hungry to show he's got what it takes and he's instilled a confidence in these Leeds players, who are also out to prove they have what it takes to be in this division. On current showings, it looks like they have.
Andy: Taking into account last week's result and the magnitude of Friday's game, I thought every player managed the occasion and pressure fantastically and left everything on the pitch, showing the fight and composure you need to survive in this brutal league. Special mention to our manager, who continues to impress, learn and evolve into a very astute and clever tactician. Roll on, Chelsea!
Forest fans
Tom: Stefan Ortega should never have started. Angus Gunn should have been between the sticks from the start. Don't understand starting Morato when the guy is clearly a liability in defence. Should have taken the £15m for him. And not starting Omari Hutchinson or Lorenzo Lucca when that partnership created our goal? Something needs to change on Wednesday, for sure.
Peter: Forest were inept and woeful. No plan on how to win the game, no fight or ingenuity on how not to lose the game. Sean Dyche looks out of ideas and we appear determined to be relegation candidates at all costs. Something needs to change.
Bob: Absolutely dreadful performance. Second best in every aspect of the game. Forest made Leeds look like world-beaters. No passion, urgency or energy. Embarrassing.
Simon: Forest had an off day and missed Neco Williams and Murillo. Morato gives possession away far too easily and I think it's time up for him. On the plus side, Lucca looks an interesting addition up front. He scored on his debut and he's a big distraction to the opposition defenders just because of his height. Let's see what the next couple of matches bring.
Analysis: Dyche's side falter on wretched nightpublished at 23:07 GMT 6 February
23:07 GMT 6 February
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
Nicolas Dominguez took his frustration out on Nottingham Forest's water bottles after he was substituted in the 54th minute.
The midfielder's actions - booting the bottles by the dugout - would have spoken for the entire squad and coaching staff.
It was a wet, wretched night at Elland Road which - come the end of the season - may be viewed as pivotal in the survival race.
Forest, like Leeds, had the chance to move nine points clear of West Ham, but the deficit could be worryingly down to just three on Saturday.
It was not just a missed opportunity, but one they failed to show up for. Bar a 10-minute spell in the first half - where they had a few chances - they were out-thought, outplayed and outfought.
Even skipper Morgan Gibbs-White was replaced in the second period, to signify Forest's struggles, and not even a pitchside discussion with boss Sean Dyche seemed to convince him it was the right decision.
Wins at West Ham and Brentford had kept Forest clear of the bottom three, but the danger of the drop still looms large after this disappointing display and defeat.
Leeds 3-1 Nottingham Forest: What Dyche saidpublished at 23:05 GMT 6 February
23:05 GMT 6 February
Media caption,
Nottingham Forest boss Sean Dyche, speaking to Sky Sports: "The killer for us was giving away the goal. We responded somewhat and then they scored a second. I said at half-time we've got to rethink. Then we conceded really quickly and the third goal is awful as well. There's no qualms about the result - they were better than us.
"We've had late changes, which is not perfect. You've got to do the basics and we didn't do them. The goals are awful for our standards. You can't give away chances like that at this level. The mentality was good at the end, we were still pushing, but it would have been getting out of jail. Our performance wasn't there."
On playing against the Elland Road atmosphere: "We all know their form and what you've got to do. We've dealt with other teams better than we've dealt with them. We were turning the game and it's just such a poor first goal."
On whether he rues missed chances at 0-0: "That's the truth of football. It's ifs and ands after the game. We had two really good chances and didn't put them away - that can happen. I'm just so frustrated with the goal. The basic principles went out the window."
On the impact of having to make a late change: "It's not the perfect scenario when you lose a centre-half late on. All the subs did fine when they came on. There's positives in the way they reacted and we kept going at the end, but the negatives for me are three awful goals."
On needing to move on: "It's always move on quickly. There's been a lot of good work here and that's a reminder that if you don't keep your foot on the gas, you can get hurt at this level."
Nottingham Forest have lost two of their past three Premier League games against newly promoted opponents, more than their previous 15 such games since their promotion in 2022.
Aged 19 years and 269 days, Zach Abbott became just the third teenager to start a Premier League game for Forest, after Marlon Harewood against West Ham in 1998 and Chris Doig against Coventry City in 1999.
Come back on Saturday for a selection of your replies
Leeds v Nottingham Forest: Team newspublished at 19:07 GMT 6 February
19:07 GMT 6 February
Boss Daniel Farke makes just one change for Leeds for their crucial game with fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest.
The injured Anton Stach drops out with Noah Okafor replacing him.
James Justin is fit to start after a toe injury while Dan James is on the bench after a hamstring injury along with Jaka Bijol, who has been nursing his own hamstring problem.
Lukas Nmecha also returns to the squad but Facundo Buonanotte misses out.
Leeds v Nottingham Forest: Key stats & talking pointspublished at 13:28 GMT 6 February
13:28 GMT 6 February
Noel Sliney BBC Sport senior journalist
The result of this game between two relegation-threatened sides, currently separated only by goals scored, could do much for the mood in both camps. A win for either team on Friday night would open up a nine-point buffer above the relegation zone. Lose, and that gap could be down to three by Saturday evening.
Both sides are in decent form, with Leeds only losing two of their past 11 league games and Nottingham Forest enjoying a season's best four-match unbeaten run.
Leeds upping the ante
Leeds manager Daniel Farke was phlegmatic after his side's first defeat in six home games last weekend, a 4-0 thumping by league leaders Arsenal, and he believes 12 more points will be enough to stay up.
"Three wins and three draws, six positive results from 14 games," he said on Thursday. "I would back my players to get six positive results."
He has every reason to be confident. During their considerable improvement over the past two months, Leeds have beaten Chelsea at Elland Road and held Liverpool, twice, and Manchester United to draws.
Since their change of formation to 3-5-2 from the start of that run, Leeds have significantly increased their work-rate and intensity – which were already high beforehand.
They're covering almost 2km more per game from the beginning of December onwards – for an average of 115.8km – and are closing down their opponents with greater regularity. The Whites rank second in the Premier League for both metrics.
That high tempo is likely to be aided by the enhanced atmosphere at a night match. Leeds have won all four of their Premier League kick-offs at 7.30pm or later this season, with the highlight being a 4-1 thumping of Crystal Palace before Christmas when the energy of the crowd translated into on-pitch dominance.
Farke admits: "I'm a football romantic, I love the atmosphere under the floodlights at Elland Road when everyone is buzzing. The good record is no guarantee but we hope for a very special atmosphere again."
Improving Forest's unwanted record
Nottingham Forest have taken eight points from their past four matches, including consecutive away wins. They came from behind in November's reverse fixture against Leeds to earn a first Premier League victory under head coach Sean Dyche.
It means Forest are looking to complete the league double over Leeds for only the second time in the top flight, after 1995-96.
However, while Forest have the best head-to-head points tally among the current bottom six sides, with 12 points and only one defeat from seven meetings, they hold an unwanted record at Elland Road.
In 25 top-flight fixtures there, Nottingham Forest have never kept a clean sheet. It's the second longest such away streak in top-flight history, behind Birmingham City's run of conceding in all 37 visits to Blackburn Rovers.
Sutton's predictions: Leeds United v Nottingham Forestpublished at 12:30 GMT 6 February
12:30 GMT 6 February
Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against AI, BBC Sport readers and a variety of guests.
His guest for week 25 is Gladiators star Apollo, real name Alex Gray, who supports Newcastle.
Sutton says: "I am at this game and we are getting to the stage where it really matters how the teams fighting relegation do in their head-to-head-battles like this.
"I think the bottom two, Wolves and Burnley are down, but you don't know what West Ham will do from here.
"There are signs they may click, so with Leeds and Nottingham Forest both on 26 points, this is big for both of them.
"From a Leeds point of view, their home form has carried them a lot this season.
"They got walloped at Elland Road by Arsenal last weekend but they just have to put that behind them for this game because, as the season has gone on, they have proved that they can be competitive.
"Forest's away form is actually better than their home form - they have picked up 14 points on the road compared to 12 at the City Ground, in the same number of games.
"Sean Dyche's side were comfortable with 10 men against Crystal Palace last time out and they have won their past two away games too, against Brentford and the Hammers. Overall, they are unbeaten in four league games, which is the longest they have gone without losing all season.
"As you can see, I've looked into all the stats for you - but will my research help me get my prediction right? Probably not.
"This is going to be a very tight affair, and Forest won't worry about having much possession, but scoring goals has been a bigger problem for them because they have missed Chris Wood badly - only Wolves have scored fewer than them.
"Forest have brought in 6ft 7in striker Lorenzo Lucca on loan from Napoli to try and fill the gap left by Wood's long-term knee injury but he has not been in great form in Serie A this season.
"So, after a great deal of thought, I am going to back Leeds at home - although now I've said that it will probably end up as a 1-1 draw.
'I believe we're similar to Nuno, which is good for us' - Dominguezpublished at 12:29 GMT 6 February
12:29 GMT 6 February
Nottingham Forest defender Nicolas Domínguez speaking about managerial changes on the latest episode of Shut Up And Show More Football: "It's difficult because everybody has a different philosophy in the game. Now, I believe we're similar to [former manager] Nuno [Espirito Santos], which is good for us.
"We need to stick together, the group is good and the squad has a good feeling", he said.
"This is important because this year the expectation is different because of a good year last year.
"It's difficult, but it's important we stay as a unit and together. The most important thing is playing game by game."
Speaking about the style under Dyche, Dominguez added: "In my personal opinion, he's the most I have run. In this league you have to run, and after win the ball we try to play.
"Tactically with him we are a little bit more compact in shape and defend well."
Fine margins could help swing Elland Road showdownpublished at 08:19 GMT 6 February
08:19 GMT 6 February
Nick Mashiter Football reporter
Image source, Getty Images
It could come down to fine margins at Elland Road.
Nottingham Forest travel to Leeds knowing the victors would move nine points clear of the Premier League's relegation zone.
They are level on 26 points, six ahead of West Ham, and on goal different - with 16th placed Leeds holding the slender advantage having scored seven more.
But the winners will hold a commanding lead at least until the Hammers' trip to Burnley on Saturday as Daniel Farke and Sean Dyche look to take a giant leap to safety.
There will be nerves and expectation in equal measure on Friday night and one mistake could make the difference - which is where Leeds have the edge.
The hosts have made the fewest errors leading to a shot [11] in the Premier League this season and no team has made fewer mistakes leading to a goal than Leeds' three - Arsenal, Bournemouth, Manchester City and Manchester United have also made three.
Meanwhile, only Tottenham [28] have made more errors leading to a shot than Forest [27] while only four sides have made more leading to a goal than Forest's six.
Although, despite Leeds' stats, they have the worst save percentage and have conceded seven more goals than expected given the number and quality of chances they have faced.
Only Wolves [+12.4] and Bournemouth [+8] have underperformed their xG by more.
Both teams still tipped for survival
Forest have not been as solid at the back as Leeds - they have given up 20 more shots than this weekend's opponents and only Burnley [48.2] and West Ham [41.1] have given up more xG against in the league
While Leeds have conceded far more than expected [42], Forest have conceded fewer [35], mainly due to Matz Sels in goal although the Belgium international is likely to miss out this evening with a groin injury.
Yet both teams are tipped to stay up ahead of the current bottom three of West Ham, Burnley and Wolves.
The bottom two of Burnley and Wolves are rated to be all but down according to Opta, with West Ham having a 83.3% change of relegation to the Championship.
That is despite only Wolves [15] scoring fewer goals than Forest's 24.
But that is mainly due to Forest not taking their chances - they have had more shots than eight other teams but only Wolves [6.7%] have a worse shot conversion rate than their 8.5%.
Leeds have also struggled to finish their chances with only four teams, including Forest and Wolves, below their 10.4%.
Image source, Getty Images
