Forest, Villa back in Premier League after Europa League meetings.

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa kicks off at 14:00 [GMT+1] on Sunday, April 12, at City Ground.

Nottingham Forest [LLDDW] welcome Aston Villa to City Ground following a 1-1 draw with FC Porto in the Europa League quarter-final first leg. They face Villa in a Premier League fixture that carries significance for both sides as they look to build momentum late in the season. Forest will take confidence from their recent home record in this fixture, having won their last two league meetings against Villa at the City Ground. A third consecutive victory would mark their best run against the Midlands side at home since the late 1970s. However, current form paints a more concerning picture. Forest are winless in their last seven home league games (D4 L3), and more worryingly, they have failed to score in their last three. That lack of cutting edge is underlined by their poor conversion rate—just 13 goals from 228 shots at home this season, a remarkably low 5.7%. Despite these struggles, Morgan Gibbs-White has been a standout performer, contributing 7 goal involvements in 2026. However, only one of those has come at home, highlighting Forest’s broader issue of translating attacking play into goals at the City Ground. A 4—2—3—1 with Chris Wood in attack is expected against Aston Villa.

Fourth-placed Villa [DLLLW] also arrive following European commitments, where they picked up a 3-1 win over Bologna in the Europa League on Thursday night. They arrive with mixed away form, having lost their last two Premier League matches on the road. Another defeat would extend a run they have largely avoided this season. Still, they have historically fared well against Forest, losing just three of their 17 Premier League meetings. In addition, Aston Villa are aiming to complete a league double over Forest for the first time since 2017-18. One of Villa’s key strengths this season has been their ability to score from distance. They have netted 14 goals from outside the box—more than any other team in the league. This could be particularly relevant against a Forest side that has conceded nine such goals, one of the higher totals in the division. Midfield influence could also be decisive. John McGinn has played a crucial role for Villa, with the team winning 61% of matches he has started this season. His presence adds balance and drive, and Villa’s significantly lower win rate without him highlights his importance. Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, who bagged a brace against Bologna, may team up at the attacking end of Villa’s 4—4—2 formation.