We’re nearing the final stretch of the Premier League season. The race for European positions is in full swing, and on April 5, fans will witness a matchup between two very solid sides – Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest. The visitors ‘Forest’ are eager to complete one of the biggest turnarounds and, after a disappointing 23/24 campaign, finish this one in a Champions League position.
However, Nuno Espirito Santo’s opponents are no slouch. Even though they are currently in a mid-table position, Aston Villa remain a formidable foe, especially at Villa Park. Our panel of experts prepared an in-depth preview for the upcoming Premier League showdown so you can know the situations of both sides coming in!
Aston Villa vs Nott’m Forest – Kick-Off Time & Most Important Match Info
- Date: Saturday, April 5
- Location: Villa Park, Birmingham
- Kick-off time: 17:30 BST
- Last Match H2H: December 14, 2024, Forest won 2:1
- Players to watch: Marcus Rashford (Aston Villa), Nikola Milenkovic (Forest), Morgan Gibbs-White (Forest), Chriss Wood (Forest), Pervis Estupinian (Aston Villa), Marco Asensio (Aston Villa)
Aston Villa vs Nott’m Forest – Form and Season Analysis
Despite Forest occupying a higher position in the table, they haven’t been as consistent as earlier in the campaign, losing 2 games out of their last five. This means that Villa (who are mid-table) might sense an opportunity.
As of writing this review, Villa trails Forest by about 9 points in the standings, but form momentum is about equal. The stage is set for an intriguing clash, with both teams needing 3 points.
Aston Villa’s 2024/25 season
Unai Emery’s side comes into this match, sitting 9th in the Premier League with 45 points (after 29 games).
They have had an inconsistent 24/25 Premier League campaign but remain in the hunt for European qualification while continuing a solid UEFA Champions League campaign, preparing for a mammoth challenge – PSG in the Quarterfinals.
Their recent form hasn’t been excellent, yet they are unbeaten in three recent league matches at home. The Lions won against Chelsea and split points with Liverpool and Ipswich.
In their previous league game, before the international break, back on March 8, Villa earned a hard-fought draw away at Brentford 1-0, courtesy of Ollie Watkins.
Notably, Unai Emery’s side have been strong at home this season. The veteran coach has turned Villa Park into a bit of a fortress, having the 5th best home record in the Premiership after 29 rounds. In fact, Villa are unbeaten in their last 16 home matches across all competitions!
This phenomenal run (albeit with 6 draws) includes an impressive FA Cup quarterfinal win and the demolition of a few Champions League opponents. Besides, Aston Villa will be coming in with good momentum, having advanced to the FA Cup semi-finals with a 3-0 win at Preston.
Emery has moulded Villa into a side that’s comfortable in possession, often using a 4-2-3-1 or similar formation. Offensively, Villa can be very fluid, with a 2nd striker like Rashford or Asensio joining Ollie Watkins to create trouble for opposing defences.
The key for Villa will be breaking down Forest’s defence (which has been prone to mistakes) with swift passing and movement. If they can dominate midfield possession and pin Forest back, expect them to protect the immaculate home record.
However, Villa has a weakness related to overcommitting and can be caught on counters – arguably Forest’s biggest strength. Unai Emery’s side must prevent their opponents from scoring first. Otherwise, it will be a difficult obstacle to overcome, as Nott’m Forest has been able to hold on to slim leads numerous times this season.
Nottingham Forest‘s 2024/25 season
Barely avoiding relegation last year, 2024/25’s Nottingham Forest has made a miraculous turnaround, being arguably the biggest surprise in this season’s Premier League.
As of April 1, they currently occupy 3rd place in the league (54 points from 29 games). Sitting in a Champions League position with a cushion over their pursuers was a dream that even most die-hard fans wouldn’t have expected coming into 2024/25.
With that being said, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side’s grip on the top four has loosened slightly in recent weeks. After a fantastic run that saw men rise as high as 3rd, Forest’s form dipped a bit in February, only for them to bounce back strong. They have won 4 straight games before April 1, overcoming the likes of Brighton and even Manchester City during that stretch.
This season, in 29 games, Forest have scored 49 goals while conceding 35, giving them a somewhat slim goal difference (+14, compared to +29 of 2nd seed Arsenal) but displaying solid defence statistics over the campaign. When playing away, Nottingham has been one of the best teams in the league. Only a three-game losing streak earlier in the year dropped them to 3rd in terms of proficiency when visiting.
It’s worth mentioning that Forest are also in good spirits – they just reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 34 years, beating Brighton after penalties. At the same time, fatigue and squad rotation could be factors for a tough upcoming matchup.
Since Nuno took over as manager, Forest has become a well-organized unit that can shift shapes and squeeze past tough opponents. They can win by even ceding most of the ball for stretches and only counterattacking with an emphasis on quick transitions.
The potential weakness in Forest’s approach is that by sitting deep, they might invite a lot of pressure. If they fail to press Villa’s creators, the visitors could find themselves in heaps of trouble.
Aston Villa vs Nott’m Forest | Form, H2H and Interesting Stats
Here are the forms of both squads and interesting stats
Aston Villa Form and Interesting Stats
- March 4 – 3:1 vs Club Brugge (W), Champions League
- March 8 – 1:0 vs Brentford (W), Premier League
- March 12 – 3:0 vs Club Brugge (W), Champions League
- March 20 – 3:1 vs Al Ain (W), Friendly
- March 30 – 3:0 vs Preston (W), FA Cup
Aston Villa are in excellent form, winning their last 5 games. On average, they scored 2.6 goals (13 total) and conceded only 0.4 (2 total) during the same stretch. Although, we must note that they didn’t face world-class opponents during that stretch.
Nott’m Forest Form and Interesting Stats
- February 26 – 0:0 vs Arsenal (D), Premier League
- March 3 – 2:1 vs Ipswich (W, after penalties), FA Cup
- March 8 – 1:0 vs Manchester City (W), Premier League
- March 15 – 4:2 vs Ipswich (W), Premier League
- March 29 – 1:0 vs Ipswich (W, after penalties), FA Cup
During their past 5 games, Nottingham Forest has been lossless and even won two games after penalties, displaying resiliency under pressure. They average 1.6 goals (8 total) and concede 0.6 (3 total) in these games.
Conclusion
April 5 offers us the chance to see world-class football. Don’t miss the kick-off at 5:30 PM BST, and also check out 7bet UK blog to see more Premier League insights and match previews.
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