The German coach said his players delivered the perfect response after a heavy defeat in their previous outing, producing an energetic and confident display that moved the club nine points clear of the relegation zone.

Leeds took control with two goals inside four first-half minutes. Jayden Bogle opened the scoring in the 26th minute after latching onto Ilia Gruev's clever pass, before Noah Okafor doubled the lead with a simple finish soon afterwards to end a long scoring drought.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin then sealed the win early in the second half with a smart chest-finished strike - his 10th league goal of the season - before substitute Lorenzo Lucca headed a late consolation for Forest.

Farke admitted the match carried added pressure following Leeds' previous loss but praised his squad's mentality. "I'm very proud because this was a complicated game for us," he said. "After a defeat it's never easy to respond, but we showed spirit, intensity and played really good football.

"It will do a lot for our confidence and belief - this was a massive performance and a massive win."

The Leeds boss highlighted midfielder Gruev and winger Okafor for special praise. "Ilia was outstanding - two assists, key passes and great reliability," Farke explained. "Noah showed his quality going forward and worked incredibly hard without the ball. That balance helped us control the game."

Forest manager Sean Dyche admitted his side struggled defensively despite some promising spells. "We were beginning to ask questions, then conceded a poor goal at a bad time," he said. "The third goal really hurt us, but the players kept going and that's the positive."

The result provided a significant boost for Leeds' survival hopes and reinforced Elland Road's reputation as a difficult venue under the lights, with Farke's side delivering one of their most convincing performances of the campaign when it mattered most.

Nedbank Cup wrap: Sekhukhune battle past Highbury to earn last-16 spot