Rejuvenated and returning to top form in the build-up to Christmas, Aston Villa seek a fourth straight win in all competitions when they lock horns with Nottingham Forest in Saturday evening's Premier League showdown at the City Ground.
The Lions conquered RB Leipzig by a 3-2 scoreline in Tuesday's Champions League battle, while Nuno Espirito Santo's men triumphed by the same margin against Manchester United in last weekend's Old Trafford surprise.
Match preview
Jhon Duran of Aston Villa celebrates scoring against Southampton in the Premier League, on December 7, 2024© Imago
Achieving as many wins in their last three matches as they had managed in their previous 12 beforehand, Aston Villa took the lead twice at the Red Bull Arena in Tuesday's meeting with Leipzig, and twice they were pegged back through Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner.
However, the third time was the charm for Unai Emery's men, as Ross Barkley slipped when he let fly from distance in the 85th minute but saw his strike creep into the bottom corner to strengthen the Lions' hopes of automatic qualification for the last 16.
A return to triumphant ways on the continent was the natural next step to a Premier League revival for Villa, who boast back-to-back wins against Southampton and Brentford from their most recent pair of top-flight affairs; the 3-1 success over the Saints snapped a horrendous eight-game run without victory in any competition.
Still very much in the mix for Champions League football amid their renaissance, the Lions occupy sixth place in the Premier League rankings, only adrift of their upcoming foes on goal difference and within touching distance of champions-in-crisis Manchester City in the final Champions League spot.
After coming up trumps on Leipzig's turf, Villa now bid to avoid an unwanted first on the road; following losses to Tottenham Hotspur (4-1), Chelsea (3-0) and Liverpool (2-0), they could suffer four straight top-flight defeats on the road by a margin of two goals or more for the first time in the Premier League era.
Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood celebrates scoring on December 7, 2024© Imago
Also revelling in their own astonishing five-goal success on rival territory, Nottingham Forest's trip to the Theatre of Dreams last weekend saw Santo's men capitalise on the Red Devils' error-strewn display, as the Forest coach won the battle of the Portuguese bosses with Ruben Amorim.
Man United's defence were only too happy to gift out presents on Chris Wood's birthday, as the New Zealand international's 10th Premier League goal of the season - and record-breaking 25th in Forest colours - put the seal on an exceptional performance.
Saturday's triumph marked a major reversal in Mancunian fortunes for the Tricky Trees, who had been swept aside 3-0 by Manchester City only three days before, and they are keeping Villa out of the top five of the standings courtesy of a marginally superior goal difference ahead of their City Ground showdown.
Santo's men will also be seeking a fourth win from five Premier League home games when the Lions come to visit, and the hosts have kept clean sheets in all three of those successes, although they did come against bottom-half battlers in Crystal Palace, West Ham United and Ipswich Town.
Nevertheless, Forest also kept Villa at bay when they defeated the Lions 2-0 in this exact fixture 13 months ago, but Emery's men exacted their revenge with a 4-2 triumph at Villa Park in February, where now-Juventus man Douglas Luiz conjured up a crucial brace.
Nottingham Forest Premier League form:
Aston Villa Premier League form:
Aston Villa form (all competitions):
Team News
Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins on October 6, 2024© Imago
Villa's midweek triumph against Leipzig was not without sacrifice, as Ollie Watkins was withdrawn at half time for eventual goalscorer Jhon Duran, and Emery confirmed after the victory that the England international had picked up a "small injury".
Whether Watkins's problem is serious enough to sideline him for Saturday remains to be seen, but Emery should take no risks given the presence and prolific nature of Duran, who is just the third player to score 10 Premier League goals for Villa before turning 21.
Leon Bailey is also on the touch-and-go list for the trip to the City Ground owing to a hamstring complaint, while Jacob Ramsey (thigh) is not expected back before the New Year.
As for Saturday's hosts, Santo cannot call upon on-loan Aston Villa left-back Alex Moreno - who missed the win over Man United anyway - so Neco Williams should continue to deputise on that side.
It is otherwise as you were on the selection front for the Tricky Trees, as Danilo (ankle) and Ibrahim Sangare (hamstring) are still on the mend from their long-term concerns, and Santo should therefore see no reason to alter the successful formula from last weekend.
The first Forest player in history to score 10 goals in one Premier League season before Christmas, Wood leads the line with a supporting cast of Morgan Gibbs-White, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Jota Silva, the latter of whom should reprise his role over Anthony Elanga.
Nottingham Forest possible starting lineup:
Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Yates, Anderson; Jota, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Wood
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Cash, Carlos, Torres, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; Philogene, Rogers, McGinn; Duran
SM words green background
We say: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa
Expect a tussle as tight as the Premier League table would suggest, as Aston Villa are managing midweek fatigue and have failed to keep the back door shut away from home all season long.
Emery's men are in a good way at the minute, though, and as Forest are still prone to inconsistency on home soil, Santo's men may have to settle for the one point on this occasion.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
ID:560400:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect14811:
Previews by email
Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!