Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa Preview, News & Starting Xi

Nottingham Forest will host Aston Villa at the City Ground on Sunday, April 12, 2026, with kick-off scheduled for 2:00 PM BST. The Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa match was moved because both clubs are involved in European competition, and the Premier League confirmed the revised date as part of its April fixture changes.

In the last 5 Premier League meetings, Aston Villa has won 3 times, while Nottingham Forest has 2 wins. Forest has traditionally performed well at home against Villa, with 28 wins in 68 matches played at the City Ground.

Villa’s most recent victory at this venue was in 2019 during their time in the Championship.

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa Match Details, Date, Time, Predictions, Lineups & More

• Tournament: 2025-26 Premier League.
• Match Date: Sunday, April 12, 2026.
• Time: 2:00 PM BST / 9:00 AM ET
• Venue: City Ground.
• Location: Nottingham, England.

Forest head into the game with the energy of a club balancing domestic and European football, while Villa arrive after a strong run of fixtures and a recent continental win in Italy. That gives this match a proper mid-April edge, with both sides needing points for different reasons.

Team News and Analysis

Nottingham Forest

Forest’s official pages show a squad built around Matz Sels, Murillo, Nikola Milenković, Neco Williams, Morgan Gibbs-White, Chris Wood, and Callum Hudson-Odoi, giving Vítor Pereira plenty of proven quality. Chris Wood was used again in Forest’s Europa League trip to Porto, which suggests he remains an important option for the run-in.

The Reds are coming off a demanding stretch that includes European football, so the big question is how much rotation Pereira chooses at the City Ground. Their home crowd and attacking threats should make them dangerous, especially if Morgan Gibbs-White gets time between the lines.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa’s official team-news update said Boubacar Kamara is out, while Alysson is back training with the group and the rest of the squad is training normally. That gives Unai Emery a near-full group to work with, even if one important midfield absence remains.

Villa’s current squad page includes Emiliano Martínez, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne, John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Jadon Sancho, Ollie Watkins, and Tammy Abraham, so Emery has enough quality to impose control if the game opens up.

Head-to-Head Record

The recent meetings have leaned Villa’s way. Aston Villa beat Forest 3-1 at Villa Park on January 3, 2026, while Villa also won 4-2 in February 2024. Forest’s last notable home success in the recent sequence came with a 1-0 win in November 2023, so this matchup has been fairly competitive overall.

Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa Predicted XI Lineups

Nottingham Forest (projected 4-2-3-1)

• Sels; Williams, Milenković, Murillo, Aina; Sangaré, Domínguez; Hudson-Odoi, Gibbs-White, Elanga; Wood.
  • Out: John Victor, Jair Cunha, Nicolò Savona, Willy Boly (all injury).

Aston Villa (projected 4-2-3-1)

• Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Tielemans, McGinn; Rogers, Sancho, Buendía; Watkins.
  • Out: Boubacar Kamara, Jadon Sancho (both injury).

Key Players to Watch

For Forest, Morgan Gibbs-White is the main creative force, while Chris Wood gives them a direct goal threat. For Villa, Ollie Watkins remains the obvious danger man, and John McGinn can tilt games with energy and late runs into the box.

Match Prediction

This looks like a tight Premier League game. Forest have the home atmosphere and the intensity of a team used to a big weekly challenge, but Villa arrive with strong individual quality and a recent winning edge in this fixture. A draw feels the safest call, though Villa have enough to nick it if Forest leave spaces behind.

• Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa.

Where to Watch Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa

The match is scheduled to kick off at 2:00 PM BST.