Premier League Preview: Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest – Saturday, December 14, 2024

With the festive period on the horizon, Aston Villa travel to the City Ground to face Nottingham Forest in Saturday evening’s Premier League clash, aiming for a fourth consecutive victory across all competitions. This exciting showdown features two in-form sides, both neighbors in the table and jockeying for European qualification as the season gathers momentum.

Forest’s 2-0 victory in this game last season (November 2023) will provide confidence, but memories of February’s 4-2 defeat at Villa Park—where Douglas Luiz (who left the Villans last summer) scored a crucial brace—linger in the backdrop.

Aston Villa’s Revival Under Unai Emery (+170 at EveryGame)

Riding high on confidence, Aston Villa head into the weekend trip to East Midlands following a dramatic 3-2 victory over RB Leipzig in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League fixture. In a pulsating encounter, the Lions took the lead twice through a vibrant attacking display, only to be pegged back by goals from Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner. However, a deflected long-range strike from Ross Barkley in the 85th minute clinched the win, solidifying Villa’s hopes of automatic progression to the tournament’s knockout stages.

Domestically, after weeks of disappointing performances, Villa have been rejuvenated. Recent Premier League wins over Southampton (3-1) and Brentford (2-1) have seen Unai Emery’s men regain momentum, breaking an eight-game winless streak in all competitions. Currently occupying sixth place in the table, Villa are level on points with their weekend opponents but trail Nottingham Forest on goal difference.

However, the Villans must shake off a troubling away record. Successive road defeats to Tottenham Hotspur (4-1), Chelsea (3-0), and Liverpool (2-0) leave Emery’s side on the verge of an unwanted first: four consecutive Premier League away losses by a margin of two goals or more.

The midweek win over RB Leipzig came at a cost, as star striker Ollie Watkins was withdrawn at halftime due to a minor injury. While Emery has not ruled Watkins out, the presence of the prolific Jhon Duran—who has already reached double figures for Villa before turning 21—provides an alternative. Leon Bailey, though, is a doubt, and Jacob Ramsey remains sidelined until the New Year.

Nottingham Forest’s Striking Performances So Far This Season (+165 at EveryGame)

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest stunned Manchester United in a thrilling 3-2 triumph at Old Trafford last weekend. Chris Wood’s milestone 10th Premier League goal of the season sealed a deserved victory, capitalizing on defensive mishaps by the Red Devils. This landmark performance also made Wood the first player in Forest’s history to hit double figures before Christmas in a Premier League campaign.

Despite a heavy 3-0 loss to Manchester City three days earlier, the East Midlands side remain formidable at home, having won three of their last four league games at the City Ground. All three victories were accompanied by clean sheets against Crystal Palace, West Ham United, and Ipswich Town. However, those triumphs came against teams in the bottom half of the table, presenting Saturday’s clash with Aston Villa as a sterner test.

On-loan Aston Villa left-back Alex Moreno is ineligible to face his parent club, so Neco Williams is expected to continue deputizing on the left flank. Meanwhile, long-term absentees Danilo and Ibrahim Sangaré (hamstring) are still unavailable, while Steve Cooper is likely to stick with the same lineup that triumphed at Old Trafford last weekend.

Possible Starting Lineups of Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa 

Nottingham Forest: Matz Sels – Ola Aina, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Neco Williams – Ryan Yates, Elliot Anderson – Jota Silva, Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi – Chris Wood. (4-2-3-1) 

Aston Villa: Emiliano Martínez – Matty Cash, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen – Amadou Onana, Youri Tielemans – Jaden Philogene, Morgan Rogers, John McGinn – Jhon Duran. (4-2-3-1) 

Spooky Express Betting Prediction 

Saturday’s clash promises a closely contested battle reflective of the tight Premier League standings. Aston Villa’s recent form is encouraging, but their away-day vulnerabilities cannot be ignored. Nottingham Forest, buoyed by their resilient home record and Wood’s goal-scoring prowess, are no pushovers.

While Emery’s men have the edge in quality, Forest’s defensive stability at the City Ground could frustrate Villa. A draw appears the most likely outcome in what should be an engaging encounter under the floodlights, though we believe that Steve Cooper’s side have their own arguments to claim the three points as well.

For the Spooky Express readers interested in betting on this matchup, the odds provided by EveryGame suggest a closely contested affair. Nottingham Forest are priced at +165 to secure a home victory, while Aston Villa are marginally behind at +170 to claim the three points on the road. The odds for a draw stand at +230, reflecting the balanced nature of this unpredictable tie.

Spooky Express Free Play: 1X (Nottingham Forest or Draw) And Over 1.5 Goals -110 at EveryGame for 6/10 Units