Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest

One of the most exciting fixtures in the Premier League this weekend pits Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest against each other at Villa Park.

Seemingly back on track after a rotten patch, Aston Villa’s purple patch has seen them lock down places in the Champions League quarter-finals and FA Cup semis after victories over Club Brugge and Preston, respectively. Furthermore, a 3-0 rout of Brighton in midweek Premier League action lifted them within a four-point distance of fourth-placed Chelsea, extending their impressive winning run in all competitions to seven games. With their last three wins yielding that same scoreline and four seeing them keep a clean sheet, Unai Emery will be forgiven for expecting revenge for a 2-1 defeat in December’s reverse fixture. Adding to this sentiment, the Lions haven’t lost any of their last 16 home games in all competitions (W10, D6).

Nottingham Forest’s eight-game winless H2H run on this ground (D3, L5) doesn’t bode well for the visitors’ effort to build on a gutsy 1-0 home win against Manchester United in midweek Premier League action and complete their first league double over Villa since 1984/85. Eager to end this 40-year drought, Nuno Espirito Santo’s men head into proceedings on a five-game winning run, including a dramatic FA Cup quarter-final win at Brighton on penalties last weekend. Unfazed by leaving their home comforts, Forest can take inspiration from an incredible return of 12 wins from their last 19 away matches (D2, L5). Yet, Santo has only won once on his five previous managerial visits to Villa Park (D1, L3).