Villa have gained momentum in Europe: Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest prediction
The Premier League fourth-round match between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest will take place on 12 September at Villa Park. Neither team has won in the league yet, but the hosts head into the fixture after an important Champions League victory.
Aston Villa: first win of the season came in Europe
Unai Emery's side have endured a poor start to the Premier League campaign: defeats of 4-0 to Brighton and 1-0 to Arsenal were followed by a goalless draw with Hull. After three rounds, the Birmingham side are yet to score a league goal.
The situation improved slightly after their Champions League trip to Club Brugge, where Villa won 3-2. Their home record against Nottingham Forest should also provide confidence, with the hosts winning the last six Premier League meetings between the sides at Villa Park.
Nottingham Forest: still without a win under Glasner
Nottingham Forest are also yet to win a league match. After losing to Leeds, they drew 2-2 with Liverpool and 0-0 with Tottenham.
Forest are still without a victory under Oliver Glasner in all competitions, while they have failed to score in three of their opening four matches. The visitors' main problem is finishing, although their organisation allows them to make games tight and uncomfortable for opponents.
Match facts and head-to-head record
- Aston Villa have yet to score in their opening three Premier League matches.
- The hosts have won their last six home league matches against Nottingham Forest.
- Last season, Villa eliminated Nottingham Forest in the Europa League semi-finals with a 4-1 aggregate victory.
European victory could help the hosts: Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest prediction
Both teams have obvious attacking problems at the moment, so the hosts should not expect an easy match. Forest are capable of playing with discipline and can punish their opponents for mistakes.
However, the win over Club Brugge should ease some of the pressure on Emery's side, while their home record against this opponent is very convincing. In what is likely to be a tight contest, Aston Villa deserve a slight edge.
