Daniel Farke was not the only German coach who was celebrating Leeds United’s vital victory over survival rivals Nottingham Forest.
The other one is England coach Thomas Tuchel, on the lookout for an in-form No 9 to deputise for Harry Kane at the World Cup. Tuchel has surely found his man and his name is Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Signed on a free transfer by Leeds at the start of the season, the World Cup was surely a long way from Calvert-Lewin’s thoughts. You suspect he would have settled simply for re-establishing himself as a Premier League footballer after years of injury heartache.
He has done that, all right. Calvert-Lewin’s goal took his tally to 10 for the season. He also hit the bar in the first half and gave Forest’s centre-backs the roughest of nights. The injury to the visitors’ star defender Murillo proved a blow from which they could not recover.
By the time Calvert-Lewin struck early in the second half, Farke’s team were already 2-0 up thanks to two goals in four minutes from Jayden Bogle and Noah Okafor, just before the half-hour mark. A late debut goal for Forest substitute Lorenzo Lucca was no consolation.
‘When you go into any season double figures is what you’ve got to aim for as a number nine in this league, double figures and above,’ Calvert-Lewin said. ‘So it is nice to hit that milestone, but I am hungry for more. I’m striving every day to improve and keep scoring more goals.’
Asked about Calvert-Lewin’s England hopes, Farke said: ‘He has England caps and he was and that level before, and had quite a good goal record (four goals in 11 games). Time will tell if Thomas needs him or not. For him it’s important to concentrate on delivering performances.’
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s scoring form could see him go to the World Cup with England
The former Everton striker has regained his form and fitness since working under Daniel Farke
Calvert-Lewin’s contribution helped take Leeds nine points clear of the bottom three and if West Ham win at Burnley on Saturday, Forest will end the weekend only three points clear of the drop zone.
It was Forest’s first defeat in five in the Premier League and their next game is at home to bottom club Wolves on Tuesday. Lose that, and Dyche will start to get a little nervous – even though he is already Forest’s third manager this season.
He said: ‘No excuses from me. Leeds deserved it but we’ve got to work at the basics. It was weak. Three awful goals, you can’t give away goals like that at this level. I’m not going to over-question the players and I thought the subs were good. The mentality is there.’
Murillo’s absence due to a calf injury forced Dyche to rejig his back four. Rather than use deadline-day signing Netz at left-back, he switched Ola Aina to that side and brought in academy product Zach Abbott on the right.
The move did not work. From the start Leeds targeted the young defender and Nicolas Dominguez did not give him enough protection. Gabriel Gudmundsson escaped down that flank twice in the opening five minutes, and Morato and Abbott were forced into desperate blocks to keep Forest level. Next it was Aina’s turn to produce a crucial interception to stop Bogle converting Okafor’s cross.
From a rare Forest attack, Karl Darlow did well to stop Dominguez’s 15-yard effort finding the far corner. Then Igor Jesus to head it wide.
Thomas Tuchel will need a reliable striker in his squad who can play back up to Harry Kane
Back came Leeds. Calvert-Lewin planted James Justin’s cross against the bar and from the rebound, Okafor lost his composure and blasted over.
Leeds did not have to wait long to go ahead. Forest lost their shape from Ilia Gruev’s ball over the top, allowing Jayden Bogle to stay onside as he cut in from the right. Free inside the box, Bogle slipped it calmly beyond Forest debutant Stefan Ortega.
Now it was time to take control. Justin strode from defence and swapped passes with Brenden Aaronson. When his shot was saved by Ortega, Justin returned the ball to the centre and the unmarked Okafor did the rest from eight yards.
Shortly before half-time, Morgan Gibbs-White forced his way to the edge of the Leeds box and saw his deflected strike pushed behind by Darlow. Gibbs-White’s body language is a useful barometer for the mood of this team and when he was taken off midway through the second half, he barely disguised his displeasure.
Remarkably, Dyche had made no changes to the shape or personnel at half-time and Leeds took full advantage. Ethan Ampadu headed a loose ball to Gruev and though the midfielder’s shot looked weak, Calvert-Lewin did superbly to drift across front of Ortega and bundle home from close range – his 10th goal of the season. ‘England’s No 9’, chanted the Kop joyfully.
Dyche, of course, worked with Calvert-Lewin at Everton, but the player could never find regular fitness. To keep Forest above the line, Dyche probably needs new man Lucca to emulate the striker he used to have, and his late header from Hutchinson’s cross was at least something to build on. Yet the night still belonged to Calvert-Lewin and Leeds – and maybe to Tuchel, too.
