Leeds United vs Nottingham Forest - Garry Monk wants response from Leeds

Posted Wednesday, January 25, 2017 by PA

Leeds head coach Garry Monk is hoping his Sky Bet Championship promotion-chasers can put Saturday's "dip" quickly behind them against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday.

Monk's side slipped one place to fourth in the table after a 3-2 derby defeat at Barnsley halted their seven-game unbeaten run.

Talisman Pontus Jansson, fellow defender Liam Cooper and winger Hadi Sacko are all available again and could play a part at Elland Road as Leeds bid to bounce straight back.

"The Championship is a very competitive division, it is hard to be at your peak in every game and we had a dip," Monk said on the club's official website following the Oakwell defeat.

"It was unlike us and how we have been, we were slightly off defensively to the levels that we have been reaching and we paid for it with the goals we conceded.

"We need to use this feeling that we have now, as motivation to bounce back against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night."

Centre-half Jansson returns to contention following his two-game ban, while Cooper and Sacko are expected to shake off injury.

Midfielder Eunan O'Kane is in contention after recovering from a groin problem to make his first appearance since the end of November off the bench at Barnsley, but left-back Charlie Taylor (Achilles) is still out.

Forest put their off-field troubles behind them to end an eight-match winless run at the weekend in interim manager Gary Brazil's first game back in charge of the club.

Brazil, installed as caretaker boss when Billy Davies was sacked in March 2014, was handed the role for a second time 10 days ago after the departure of Philippe Montanier.

Forest responded with a 1-0 home win over Bristol City on Saturday and Brazil feels recent events, which included last week's collapse of a proposed takeover by John Jay Moores' American consortium, have galvanised his players.

"The mood is very good in the camp and there is a buzz around the place," Brazil, who confirmed money for team strengthening has been made available by owner Fawaz Al Hasawi, was quoted on the club's official Twitter site.

"There is a really good balance in the group. Our ability to compete on Saturday pleased me and I was proud of that.

"We played some good football at times and we can improve.

"Forest v Leeds is always going to be well attended. They are at the top and we are hitting some form, so it should be a good game.

"Leeds are a good side and will be hard to play against, but it might not be a good time for them to play against Forest."

Forest are waiting on the fitness of Matt Mills after the defender was sent for scans on an injury sustained on Saturday.