Nottingham Forest 3-1 Leeds United: Star wanted by Premier League's top clubs shines again - and the puzzle Daniel Farke MUST solve

Nottingham Forest fought back from behind to secure a win that calmed their relegation fears and dragged Leeds right back into the scrap for survival.

Despite falling behind to an early Lukas Nmecha strike, Forest fought back through goals from Ibrahim Sangare and Morgan Gibbs-White, and a late penalty from Elliot Anderson.

But it was a scruffy encounter at the City Ground and here Daily Mail Sport assesses the action.

Best league in the world? 

We should all be careful not to be so smug about the standard of Premier League. ‘Best league in the world’ has long been stated as fact rather than opinion and the cheerleaders were out again last week as English clubs swept aside their opponents in Europe.

Some of them should have come to the City Ground where, for the most part, Nottingham Forest and Leeds United served up some Grade A, 24-carat dross, particularly before the break. It was heavy on power but desperately light on technique.

Do not use finances as an excuse, either. Only five clubs worldwide (all of them English) spent more on transfers than Forest last summer. Leeds spent more than both last season’s Champions League finalists, Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan.

The Premier League is by far the richest league in the world, and the game unfolds at bewildering speed. Yet pace and athleticism are not always synonymous with technical excellence and some of the play here would not have looked out of place in the second or third tier.

Given the money committed to transfers, the price of tickets and the cost of television subscriptions, fans are entitled to expect more than the rudimentary fare served up here. Are we really to believe this match was of a significantly higher standard than an equivalent fixture in Spain, France, Germany or Italy? Quicker, maybe. But hardly technically superior.

Speed, power and athleticism all add to the spectacle but skill outweighs them all – as Omari Hutchinson showed with his delightful cross for Morgan Gibbs-White to score Forest’s second. It was worth a hundred long throw-ins or crunching midfield duels. Even in the ‘best league in the world’, these are the moments to cherish. Without them, we might as well watch the NFL.

Anderson shines again

In just two months, Elliot Anderson’s status has changed from promising Premier League youngster to one of the best midfielders in the division. He is now an England starter and is coveted by most of the top clubs.

Under such circumstances, it would be easy for Anderson to become a little big for his boots. His attitude has remained impeccable, though – and that seems a sure sign he will go to the top of the game.

Anderson was head and shoulders above most players here yet if he was frustrated at his colleagues or the rough-and-tumble pattern of the game, he never showed it. When he had the ball, Anderson usually set Forest on the attack with a clever pass. He never shirked defensive duties, either, and was often in just the right place to snuff out Leeds’ raids into Forest territory. The victory-clinching penalty crowned a super display.

Regardless of where Forest finish, Anderson will still be playing in one of Europe’s top-five leagues next season. In the meantime, the 23-year-old will give every last drop of effort to ensure Forest are, too. As Forest supporters worry about dropping into the Championship, that should give them a great deal of comfort.

Leeds' striker puzzle 

Brought in for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Nmecha repaid Leeds boss Daniel Farke instantly with a smart finish, angled across Matz Sels, to give his team the lead. Thereafter, though, Nmecha struggled to make an impact and was taken off in the 74th minute.

Farke’s men have looked competitive in all their matches but have scored only 10 in the league this term, and three of those were in their win at bottom club Wolves.

Joel Piroe was highly effective in the Championship last term but does not seem to be trusted in the Premier League. Wingers Wilfred Gnonto and Dan James have missed significant parts of the season and though Noah Okafor looks dangerous, he is much more of a raider from wide than a man to finish off chances. Leeds need to buy in January.

Get off the field!

Midway through the first half, Leeds skipper Ethan Ampadu overstretched and fell to the turf in pain. The match stopped for nearly five minutes while he was treated on the pitch, before he was asked to walk off and duly make his return.

Some time ago, unless they were seriously injured, players were required to leave the field for treatment so the game could continue in their absence. For the sake of the spectacle, this trend needs to be revived.