Anton Stach's stunning late free-kick at the City Ground on Saturday transformed what looked like a hard-earned point into all three for Leeds United, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling supporters as the Premier League campaign got underway.

The contrast with Leeds' previous visit to Nottingham could not have been sharper. In November 2025, Lukas Nmecha had put the visitors ahead only for the hosts to roar back with three goals — handing Sean Dyche his first win as Nottingham Forest manager and heaping pressure on Daniel Farke's squad at a time when relegation felt like a real threat.

A remarkable turnaround

That afternoon was supposed to ignite Nottingham Forest's revival. Instead, nine months on, it is Leeds who carry all the momentum. Farke's side have won five of their last eight league matches, accumulating 17 points — bettered only by Arsenal's 18 since the start of April.

"I expected a difficult game away at Forest," Farke told BBC Match of the Day. "I'm very happy to come away with a clean sheet and compliments to the players."

Leeds finished 14th last season — eight points clear of the relegation zone — but their return to the top flight was anything but straightforward. They managed only three wins in their opening 13 fixtures, losing eight, before Farke switched from a 4-3-3 to a 3-5-2 system following a 3-2 defeat to Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on 29 November. The adjustment proved transformative: Leeds lost just five times for the rest of the campaign.

"There were times in the first half of last year where we allowed teams to run over us a bit," captain Ethan Ampadu told BBC Final Score. "We wanted to get a bit more solid and put our stamp on the game. We want the ball, we want to be attacking and creative."

Summer signings hit the ground running

Having steered Leeds to safety, Farke had publicly warned that he would walk away if the club failed to back his ambitions in the transfer market. The hierarchy responded — investing around £80 million in new arrivals across the summer.

Three of those signings started the season opener, and each offered encouraging signs. Goalkeeper James Trafford, who cost £45 million from Manchester City — a record fee for a British goalkeeper — produced several decisive stops to keep a clean sheet on debut. Bosnian-Herzegovinian defender Tarik Muharemovic was solid at the back and demonstrated his aerial threat at the other end, testing Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels with a powerful header.

Harry Wilson, who arrived on a free transfer after registering 10 goals and seven assists for Fulham last season, was denied a debut goal only by the offside flag.

"From the very first minute they walked into the building, they have shown their quality," Ampadu said. "They have shown why they have been brought in to try and help us get to the next level."

Farke was equally effusive: "Trafford is a good player but he hasn't played that many Premier League games, Tarik too. So they both shined and showed why we agreed to sign them — but the whole group was excellent today. Wilson too was excellent. The vibe and mood is good around the place."

Aiming to thrive, not just survive

Farke, now the third-longest-serving manager in the Premier League behind Arsenal's Mikel Arteta and Aston Villa's Unai Emery, has built a squad that believes it can do more than simply retain its top-flight status.

"We know our targets and goals," Ampadu said. "We want to be a Premier League club next season. We want to achieve that target and then get to a better place. Once that can be achieved, we think of everything else."

Leeds only won two away games throughout the entire 2025-26 campaign, making Saturday's result at the City Ground all the more significant. With Anton Stach continuing to deliver decisive moments and a wave of hungry new arrivals settling in quickly, Leeds have every reason to believe this could be their finest season yet under Farke.