Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest: Betting Odds, Lineups, Predictions, Preview

Explore our detailed preview for Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Stats, odds, predictions, and lineups for the 17:30 BST match.

Fixture: Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Date: Saturday 5 April 2025
Kick-off: 17:30 BST
Venue: Villa Park

The match at Villa Park promises to be an exciting encounter between two teams with contrasting styles but similar ambitions. Aston Villa, playing at home, will look to exploit their attacking prowess, particularly through Watkins and Rashford. However, their defensive record this season could be a concern against a Forest side that has shown the ability to score goals on the road.

Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, will rely on their solid defensive structure and counter-attacking threat, led by Elanga and Gibbs-White. The absence of a key player like Chris Wood might affect their performance, but their recent form suggests they can still pose a significant attacking threat.

The home advantage and Villa's attacking options might just edge them past a resilient Forest side, but expect a closely contested match with both teams creating chances.

Match Prediction: Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest

Aston Villa have shown a mixed bag of results in their recent Premier League outings, but a run of five consecutive wins in all competitions was extended to six with an emphatic victory at Brighton last time out. 

However, their heavy defeat at Crystal Palace highlights areas for improvement, particularly in defensive areas. At home, Unai Emery's team have been competitive, losing just once at Villa Park all season.

Last 5 league matches:

• Win: 3-0 vs Brighton (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Brentford (A)
• Loss: 1-4 vs Crystal Palace (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Chelsea (H)
• Draw: 2-2 vs Liverpool (H)
  

Nottingham Forest's recent form has been impressive, with recent wins against both Man United and Man City. Forest have been in fine form, securing three consecutive wins, and their recent draw with Arsenal further underscores their defensive strength. However, the loss to Newcastle in a high-scoring affair suggests that they can be vulnerable on the road.

Last 5 league matches:

• Win: 1-0 vs Man United (H)
• Win: 4-2 vs Ipswich (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Man City (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Arsenal (H)
• Loss: 3-4 vs Newcastle (A)
  

In recent encounters between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, the matches have been closely contested, with the home side often getting the result. Historically, Aston Villa have had the upper hand, but recent matches show that Forest are capable of challenging Villa.

• Nott'm Forest 2-1 Aston Villa (14 December 2024)
• Aston Villa 4-2 Nott'm Forest (24 February 2024)
• Nott'm Forest 2-0 Aston Villa (05 November 2023)
• Aston Villa 2-0 Nott'm Forest (08 April 2023)
• Nott'm Forest 1-1 Aston Villa (10 October 2022)
  

• Ross Barkley - Calf (Doubtful)
• Leon Bailey - Knock (Doubtful)

Villa have a pretty clean bill of health at just the right time, with crucial fixtures in multiple competitions meaning squad depth will be key.

• Chris Wood - Hip (Doubtful)
• Ola Aina - Calf

Nottingham Forest don't have many injuries, but they are missing key players, with Ola Aina set to miss his first Premier League game of the season and Chris Wood still a doubt.

Martínez; Disasi, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Rogers, Asensio, Rashford; Watkins

Sels; Morato, Milenkovic, Murillo; Williams, Anderson, Domínguez, Yates; Elanga, Gibbs-White; Awoniyi

• Ollie Watkins vs Murillo: Watkins' pace and finishing will be crucial for Villa, and Murillo's defensive prowess will be tested in this matchup.
• Morgan Rogers vs Neco Williams: Rogers' creativity and dribbling skills will challenge Williams, who will need to be at his best defensively.
• Anthony Elanga vs Ezri Konsa: Elanga's speed and directness could pose a threat to Villa's defence, with Konsa potentially tasked with keeping him in check.
  

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest have met 15 times in the Premier League, with Villa winning seven, Forest winning three, and five matches ending in draws. Interestingly, Villa have won five of their last six home games against Forest in all competitions, showcasing their dominance at Villa Park in this fixture.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.