Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Preview: Team News & Prediction
Click here for today’s sports betting tips from our expert analysts!
These two sides have both enjoyed magnificent campaigns as Aston Villa now prepare to welcome Nottingham Forest to England’s second city for what is an intriguing encounter.
Kick-off date/time: Saturday 5th April, 2025: UK – 5:30pm / US ET – 12:30pm / US PT – 9:30am
How to watch on TV: UK – Sky Sports / US – USA Network
How to watch online: UK – Sky Go / US – Universo
Aston Villa Preview: The heroes of the Villains
In midweek, Aston Villa hammered fellow top four or five chasers Brighton and Hove Albion by three goals to nil at the AMEX Stadium. Both Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio scored to continue their own individual good form before a late strike from Donyell Malen.
The Villains are preparing for a UEFA Champions League quarter-final against a strong Paris Saint-Germain side in midweek, having reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup last weekend with a 3-0 win at Deepdale against Championship side Preston North End.
Nottingham Forest Preview: A remarkable campaign
Much like Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest also continued their impressive campaign by reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a victory last weekend, defeating Brighton and Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium via a penalty shootout.
Since then, Nuno Espirito Santo’s side then defeated Manchester United by a goal to nil at the City Ground in midweek courtesy of an excellent individual goal from former Manchester United winger Anthony Elanga.
Aston Villa Team News: Bailey to be assessed
Jamaica international winger Leon Bailey will have to be assessed by Villa ahead of this weekend having missed out in the week due to injury. Ross Barkley, though, has returned to training and could be involved this weekend. Unai Emery said his recent benching of Ollie Watkins has been down to a slight knee injury.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans; Asensio, Rogers, Rashford; Watkins
Unavailable:
Questionable: Barkley (Fitness), Bailey (Injured), Watkins (Fitness)
Nottingham Forest Team News: Wood remains a doubt
Nuno Espirito Santo has said that New Zealand international Chris Wood will have to continue to be assessed due to the injury he sustained over the international break. Ola Aina will now be sidelined 'for a while', though, whilst Alex Moreno is ineligible to play against his parent club.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sels; Williams, Milenkovic, Murillo, Morato; Yates, Anderson; Elanga, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Awoniyi
Unavailable: Aina (Injured), Moreno (Ineligible)
Questionable: Da Silva Moreira (Injured), Wood (Injured)
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Prediction
Aston Villa’s winter transfer window was an extremely impressive one and has allowed them to rediscover some energy and form that has propelled them forward in three different competitions. They, though, are brilliant at exploiting the weakness of an opposition which is exactly the way in which Nottingham Forest have been able to look like securing an unlikely UEFA Champions League spot. As a result, both managers could cancel the other out and it may not be as thrilling as it could be for the neutral.
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Tip: Under 3.5 goals
