Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest preview: Team news, betting odds, prediction
Aston Villa will be determined to extend their winning streak to seven games when Nottingham Forest visit Villa Park on Saturday.
The Villans followed up their 3-0 victory over Preston in the FA Cup quarter-final with a win by the same margin against Brighton at the Amex on Wednesday (2 April).
January signings Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen were all on the scoresheet as Aston Villa cruised past Fabian Hurzeler’s men.
Unai Emery will now have set his sights on pushing Villa further towards the Premier League top four against third-placed Forest.
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest preview
Reasons are aplenty for Aston Villa fans to be excited as Emery and Co. push for a top-four finish for the second season in a row, while also being active in the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League.
The Champions League quarter-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain this month is certain to be one of the biggest occasions in Villa’s recent history.
Aston Villa will also be optimistic of going all the way in the FA Cup, where they face Crystal Palace in the semi-final, but the attention will be on their upcoming league game against Forest for now.
The only downside to all that is that games are coming thick and fast, meaning the Villans’ squad depth will be tested to its limits in the coming weeks.
Like Villa, Nottingham Forest also have a lot of reasons to be excited as they sit third in the Premier League with eight games left to play.
The Tricky Trees boast a nine-point lead over the Birmingham-based club and are edging closer to securing Champions League qualification.
After beating Brighton on penalties in the FA Cup quarter-final, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side earned a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at home on Tuesday, 1 April.
They will be looking to extend their winning streak across all competitions to six games when they visit Villa Park this weekend.
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest team news
Aston Villa are looking healthy in terms of fitness, with Leon Bailey and Ross Barkley the only players to miss the trip to Brighton on Wednesday.
Emery had the luxury to start Axel Disasi, Ollie Watkins, Amadou Onana, Tyrone Mings, Malen and Asensio on the bench at the Amex, meaning he could mix his team up against Forest.
| Aston Villa injury issues | Nottingham Forest injury issues |
| Leon Bailey | Ola Aina |
| Ross Barkley | Chris Wood (Doubt) |
Forest are also in a strong position, with Callum Hudson-Odoi expected to return to the fray after missing the game against Manchester United.
Chris Wood is edging closer to full fitness and could feature at Villa Park, although Ola Aina has been ruled out after injuring himself during the win over the Red Devils.
The Tricky Trees will also be without Alex Moreno, who is unable to play against his parent club.
Predicted lineups
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Kamara, Onana, Rogers, Asensio, Ramsey, Watkins
Nottingham Forest: Sels, Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Morato, Dominguez, Anderson, Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi, Wood
Betting odds
Aston Villa: 19/20
Draw: 13/5
Nottingham Forest: 27/10
(All odds according to Bet365 as of 3 April).
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest may be nine points above Aston Villa in the Premier League table, but this is an even contest by all means.
Villa’s record at home may ultimately give them the edge over Espirito Santo’s side.
It is worth noting that Emery’s side have not lost at Villa Park since their season opener against Arsenal.
Furthermore, Aina and Moreno’s absence will leave the Tricky Trees short of options at one of the full-back positions, allowing the Birmingham outfit to take advantage.
That is why Villa could edge past Forest on this occasion.