The games continue to come thick and fast in the Premier League, and Gameweek 20 will begin this weekend. The second half of the season starts on Saturday with Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest, with both teams eager to return to winning ways.
Aston Villa’s exceptional winning streak finally ended this week, as they suffered a 4-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates. There was a sense that the run belied underlying numbers and that the narrative of a potential Premier League title charge was too good to be true. However, Unai Emery will aim to disprove that and kick-start another positive push after falling six points behind Arsenal.
On the other hand, Nottingham Forest’s struggles continued earlier this week, as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Everton at home. The Tricky Trees have now lost their last three Premier League games, with West Ham United closing the gap to four points after a 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion. So, Sean Dyche’s men will be looking over their shoulders unless they return to winning ways soon.
The corresponding fixture last season ended in a 2-1 win for Aston Villa, with Jota Silva’s second-half strike failing to inspire a Nottingham Forest comeback. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Unai Emery has received a mixed bag of updates on the team news front ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Aston Villa manager may be bereft of the services of five first-team players vs Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara are available after serving suspensions in the game against Arsenal. However, Emery is sweating over Amadou Onana’s fitness after the Belgian midfielder came off with a tight hamstring in North London. Meanwhile, Tyrone Mings (thigh), Pau Torres (calf), and Ross Barkley (knee) remain in the treatment room, while Evann Guessand is at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Emiliano Martinez is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Aston Villa lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Nottingham Forest on Saturday. The backline will feature Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Victor Lindelof, and Ian Maatsen.
As for the midfield unit, Boubacar Kamara will replace Amadou Onana as Youri Tielemans’s partner in the double pivot. Morgan Rogers will reprise the no. 10 role, with Donyell Malen and John McGinn being the two wide attackers. Finally, Ollie Watkins will lead the line for Aston Villa against Nottingham Forest this weekend.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen; Kamara, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Malen; Watkins
Like his counterpart in the Aston Villa dugout, Sean Dyche has received a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to Villa Park. The Nottingham Forest manager will be without four first-team players on Saturday.
Ola Aina is finally fit and available after recovering from a hamstring injury. Dan Ndoye is also closing in on returning from a calf issue, and he faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. However, Ryan Yates (thigh) and Chris Wood (knee) remain in the treatment room, while Ibrahim Sangare and Willy Boly are at the Africa Cup of Nations with the Ivory Coast.
John Victor will retain his spot between the sticks, with Nottingham Forest lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Aston Villa on Saturday. The backline will feature Nicolo Savona, Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, and Neco Williams.
As for the midfield unit, Nicolas Dominguez will line up alongside Elliot Anderson in the double pivot. Morgan Gibbs-White will reprise the no. 10 role, with Omari Hutchinson and Callum Hudson-Odoi being the two wide attackers. Finally, Igor Jesus will spearhead the Nottingham Forest attack against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): John Victor; Savona, Milenkovic, Murillo, Neco Williams; Dominguez, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus
While Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and top FPL transfer recommendation Morgan Rogers were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Ollie Watkins as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League game between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest at Villa Park.
The English international is finally showing positive signs, even though he is still not at his best. Watkins has scored three goals in his last two Premier League games, as many as he had in his previous 19. However, his five most recent league goals have come away from home, and he last scored at Villa Park in September against Fulham. So, Unai Emery will hope the veteran striker brings that form to a home game this weekend.
Nottingham Forest’s recent output in away games against Aston Villa does not inspire much confidence. Additionally, Sean Dyche has lost the last two games he has overseen at Villa Park by an aggregate score of 7-2, having been unbeaten in his first three visits (W1 D2).
However, the struggling visitors will take the game to Aston Villa, with John Victor producing an inspired performance. Callum Hudson-Odoi will trouble Matty Cash and score a goal that will threaten the end of Nottingham Forest’s losing run. However, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins will deliver the goods for the home side. The Hard Tackle predicts a hard-fought 2-1 win for Unai Emery and his charges.
