Aston Villa Hosts Nottingham Forest in EPL Clash

BIRMINGHAM, England — Aston Villa will face Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on April 5, 2025, in a crucial Premier League matchup. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 PM BST (12:30 PM EDT, 9:30 AM PDT). The match will be live-streamed on SkyGo and fuboTV.

Both teams come into the game with strong records, with Aston Villa sitting in seventh place and Nottingham Forest in third. Aston Villa recently secured a convincing 3-0 victory against Brighton, with key contributions from Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio, while Nottingham Forest edged Manchester United 1-0 thanks to Anthony Elanga‘s effort.

The upcoming match is significant for both teams, as Nottingham Forest aims for their first league double over Aston Villa since the 1984-85 season. Forest has struggled at Villa Park, not winning in their last eight visits and securing only two wins in their last 17 attempts.

“We need to demonstrate our capabilities in tough matches like this,” Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo said. “Aston Villa is always a formidable opponent, especially at home.”

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery expressed confidence ahead of the match. “We are in good form, and winning here is crucial for our ambitions to reach the Champions League,” he stated.

The stats favor Villa at home, where they have a strong record, winning six consecutive matches. However, Nottingham Forest remains a challenging side, increasing the stakes in this vital encounter. Villa are also preparing for potential injuries, with Ross Barkley and Leon Bailey likely unavailable. In contrast, Forest faces scrutiny over Chris Wood‘s hip injury and Ola Aina‘s calf injury, both unfit for action.

In terms of tactical setup, both teams adopt a 4-2-3-1 formation. For Villa, Emiliano Martínez is expected in goal with a defensive line including Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings. Midfield will see Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana providing support for the attacking trio of Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Ollie Watkins.

Nottingham Forest will see goalkeeper Thomas Sels backed by defenders including Milenkovic and Murillo. Their midfield will be supported by Yates and Anderson while Elanga, Gibbs-White, and Hudson-Odoi lead the attack.

“A team effort will be key to us securing a favorable result,” Elanga noted ahead of the match. “We respect Aston Villa but will not back down.”

Statistics indicate that Aston Villa has a league win rate of 60%, compared to Nottingham Forest’s 30%. The match promises to be intense, with both seeking critical points for their European ambitions.

The fixture comes amid both teams preparing for upcoming FA Cup matches, which add further significance to the encounter. Villa will face Crystal Palace while Forest takes on Manchester City the following day.

As fans fill Villa Park, the anticipation will mount for this Midlands clash, a potentially pivotal moment in the Premier League campaign.