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Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

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      Draw @ 23/10
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      1-1 @ 11/2
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      Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa: Prediction, Preview & Betting Tips

      Nottingham Forest take on Aston Villa this weekend in what should be an interesting encounter between two sides with their eyes set on securing European football for next season.

      • Date: 14/12/2024
      • Kick-off time: 17:30
      • Location: City Ground, Nottingham

      Nottingham Forest are enjoying their best season in the top flight since 2002-03 as they find themselves 5th in the Premier League with 25 points from 15 games. Under Nuno Espírito Santo, Forest have evolved into a strong, well-organised unit that can consistently compete with the best sides in the division.

      Since their return to the Premier League, Forest have seen nothing but relegation battles and have been plagued by persistent defensive issues. However, they’ve done a complete 180 since Santo’s arrival, with a watertight defence now the foundation of their success. Forest have conceded just 18 goals in 15 games in the league, a rate bettered by only Liverpool and Arsenal, a truly excellent feat given they conceded a combined 137 goals in the last two Premier League seasons.

      In Chris Wood, Forest also have one of the most reliable strikers in the league, with the New Zealand international having scored ten league goals so far, making him one of the most prolific scorers in the league. Add to that the unpredictability and the dynamism of players like Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi, and you can see why Forest are such a well-rounded side.

      Forest fans will now see this season as a free hit given relegation will clearly not be a concern this season, and while finishing 5th is ultimately an unlikely outcome, they’ll fancy their chances of claiming a Europa Conference League place from here.

      Aston Villa are currently 6th in the Premier League with 25 points from 15 games. Villa’s start to the season has, on balance, been solid, even if their form has been pretty volatile. Having finished 4th last season, Villa invested fairly heavily in their squad over the summer, and they came into this campaign hoping to consolidate their position amongst the elite. While their overall performance in the league might have been short of what they wanted, they’re still in a pretty strong position. Villa are only two points short of Manchester City in 4th, and given the form of the Champions, they’ll no doubt believe they can work their way back into the top four.

      Villa have been decent at both ends of the pitch, scoring 23 goals and conceding 23 goals in the league. Villa’s top scorer in all competitions is currently Jhon Durán, with ten goals, and with Ollie Watkins’ form slightly short of where it was last season, there are calls for the young Colombian to become the team’s starting striker. Durán has proved a mercurial talent with match-winning capability, so if he can continue to develop, he could be the difference between Villa making the top four or missing out entirely.

      After a really poor run, Villa’s form has picked up quickly in recent weeks, and they enter this game in a very good place. A win here could see them in 4th by the end of the weekend, so Emery’s side will be going all-out for three points here.

      Where To Watch

      This game will be televised live to all subscribed UK viewers on Sky Sports Main Event.

      Team News

      Nottingham Forest Team News:

      Alex Moreno will continue to miss out for the home side, as will Danilo and Ibrahim Sangaré, all of whom remain in Forest's treatment room.

      After a win at Old Trafford last weekend, we aren't likely to see many changes for this one.

      Predicted lineup: Sels; Aina, Milenković, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Jota, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood.

      Aston Villa Team News:

      Leon Bailey is a doubt for the visitors after missing a few games with a hamstring injury, while Jacob Ramsey's more serious muscle injury will likely keep him out until 2025.

      Ollie Watkins is also a doubt after picking up a knock in Germany on Tuesday night, so expect Jhon Durán to lead the line here.

      Predicted lineup: Martínez; Cash, Carlos, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; Philogene, Rogers, McGinn; Durán.

      Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa - Form Guide

      Nottingham Forest:

      Nottingham Forest are coming into this game with two wins and three defeats from their last five games. Most recently, Forest travelled to Old Trafford and ran out 3-2 winners in what was an entertaining encounter. Nikola Milenković opened the scoring for Forest before United equaliser through Rasmus Højlund. However, shortly after half-time, Morgan Gibbs-White reinstalled Forest's lead before Chris Wood made it 3-1. United did pull a goal back through Bruno Fernandes, but Forest held on for an excellent win.

      Before that, the Tricky Trees were outclassed in a 3-0 defeat away at Manchester City, which came after a 1-0 win over Ipswich Town where Chris Wood got the winner from the spot. That result followed a 3-0 loss away at Arsenal and a 1-3 defeat to Newcastle United.

      Aston Villa:

      Aston Villa are entering this game off the back of three successive wins and just one defeat in their last five. On Tuesday night, Villa travelled to Eastern Germany to take on RB Leipzig in the Champions League, and in what was a fantastically entertaining game, Villa ran out 3-2 winners thanks to John McGinn, Jhon Durán and Ross Barkley.

      Prior to that, a Durán goal resulted in a 1-0 win over Southampton, which came after a 3-1 win over Brentford, where Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Matty Cash scored the goals. Those results were preceded by a 3-0 defeat to Chelsea and a 0-0 draw at home to Juventus in the Champions League.

      Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa - Prediction

      After a poor run, Villa's form has improved notably, with Unai Emery's men winning their last three on the bounce. Forest, though, have also won two of their last three, the most recent being a 3-2 win at Old Trafford, and have also won three of their last five on home soil.

      Villa's away form isn't great, with Emery's side winning only one of their last five on the road, but they did beat RB Leipzig in Germany in the week so they're not useless on the road. Ultimately, with two sides on good form facing one another, we think a share of the spoils is the most likely outcome. Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa.

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