Leeds United secured a vital 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest at Elland Road on Friday night, increasing their distance from the Premier League relegation zone. Dominic Calvert-Lewin capped a fine performance with his tenth league goal of the season, solidifying Leeds' dominance in a match where they demonstrated both attacking flair and defensive resilience.

The win sees Leeds climb to 16th in the table, now nine points clear of the relegation places. Nottingham Forest, who remain in 17th, six points above the drop zone, struggled to contain Leeds'dynamic attack despite creating some early chances.

Leeds started the game brightly, with Gabriel Gudmundsson's crosses causing problems for the Forest defense. Calvert-Lewin almost opened the scoring with a powerful header that struck the crossbar. Moments later, in the 26th minute, Jayden Bogle put Leeds ahead, latching onto Ilia Gruev's through-ball and slotting a composed finish past Forest's debutant goalkeeper, Stefan Ortega.

The home side doubled their lead just four minutes later when Noah Okafor tapped in after James Justin's cross caused chaos in the Forest defense. Elland Road erupted as Leeds took firm control of the match.

Leeds continued their attacking momentum into the second half, and in the 48th minute, Calvert-Lewin chested in Gruev's ball to the near post, extending Leeds' lead to 3-0. The goal marked Calvert-Lewin's tenth of the Premier League season.

Forest substitute Lorenzo Lucca marked his debut with a late headed consolation goal in the 85th minute, but it proved to be too little, too late. Leeds' defense, led by Karl Darlow, who made a number of crucial saves, stood firm to secure the victory.

Daniel Farke's tactical switch to a 3-5-2 formation, implemented earlier in the season, continues to yield positive results, maximizing the potential of Leeds' athletic squad. The system allows Calvert-Lewin to lead the line effectively, with Brenden Aaronson and other attacking players finding space to create opportunities. The win against Nottingham Forest showcased the effectiveness of this system, with defenders like Bogle contributing significantly to the attack.

Leeds face Chelsea next, while Nottingham Forest will be looking to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.