Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Q: What position is Nottingham Forest in the Premier League table?

Nottingham Forest is currently in 16th place in the Premier League table.

Q: When did Nottingham Forest last win three home league games in a row against Aston Villa?

Nottingham Forest last won three home league games in a row against Aston Villa in 1979.

Q: How many home league games has Nottingham Forest lost in a row?

Nottingham Forest is winless in their last seven home league games.

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Nottingham Forest host Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon as they aim to escape the relegation dogfight.

Forest currently occupy 16th place in the Premier League table. Vitor Pereira’s side secured a vital 3–0 win at Tottenham before the international break. Forest have won their last two home league encounters against Villa.

However, the Tricky Trees remain winless in seven home league games. They last won three in a row at home against Villa in 1979.

Aston Villa visit the City Ground, sitting comfortably in fourth position. Unai Emery’s side holds a six-point lead in the race for Champions League football.

They look to complete their first Premier League double over Forest since 1993. Nevertheless, Villa have lost their last two away matches in the competition. Notably, neither team has kept a clean sheet in their last four meetings.

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa – Match preview and team news

Date: Sunday, 12 April 2026
Kick-off: 14:00 BST
Venue: The City Ground, Nottingham
Referee: Michael Salisbury
VAR: Tony Harrington
Last Meeting: Aston Villa 3–1 Nottingham Forest (January 2026, Premier League)

Team news

Nottingham Forest

Vitor Pereira welcomes back Elliot Anderson after his continental suspension. Notably, Anderson ranks second in the league for high-intensity pressures this season. Igor Jesus should lead the line following his recent impressive performances. Matz Sels will reclaim his spot in goal despite Ortega’s European heroics.

Aston Villa

Unai Emery provided mixed injury news ahead of this Midlands trip. Jadon Sancho is improving and could feature following his international break knock. Furthermore, Alysson has returned to first-team training recently. However, Boubacar Kamara remains definitely ruled out for the visitors.

Form

Nottingham Forest

Forest have struggled for clinical finishing at the City Ground this term. Their home conversion rate of 5.7% is the lowest in the league since 2021. They have scored just 13 goals in home fixtures this season. Notably, Morgan Gibbs-White remains their most creative outlet with seven goal involvements in 2026.

Aston Villa

John McGinn’s fitness remains the primary factor for Villa’s success. The side wins 61% of games when he starts compared to 25% without him. Notably, Villa have scored 14 goals from outside the box this season. This is the highest tally of any side in the division.

Predicted lineups

Nottingham Forest Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Aston Villa Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Barkley, Onana; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins