Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Odds & Predictions – 04/05/2025

Villa Park will play host to two in-form sides in the Premier League as Aston Villa is at home against Nottingham Forest and both sides will be aiming to come one step closer to European qualification on Saturday, April 5.

In the reverse fixture at the City Ground, Jhon Duran’s goal in the 63rd minute could have sealed the three points for Unai Emery’s men but substitutions made by Nuno Espirito Santo turned the game on its head as the hosts ran out 2-1 winners with goals from Nikola Milenkovic and Anthony Elanga in the 87th and the 93rd minute respectively.

Learn more about the odds, team news, picks, and predictions for the thrilling Premier League clash between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest:

Where to watch Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest

Here is when and where to watch the clash between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

Date: 04/05

Time: 12:30 pm ET

Location: Villa Park, Birmingham

Where to watch: The match can be watched on Peacock in the USA

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Preview

Two teams that have defied expectations in the 2024-25 Premier League season will be going at loggerheads on Saturday as the fixture is crucial for European ambitions of both teams. While Villa are currently competing in the UEFA Champions League, Forest will end a 35-year wait of playing in Europe’s top club competition if they end up staying in Champions League spots at the end of the ongoing league campaign.

Aston Villa

Emery has always managed to surpass expectations, especially in European competitions as the Spaniard has now taken Villa to the 2024-25 Champions League quarter-final where they will take on Paris St. Germain. On the domestic front, Villa is placed seventh in the league with 48 points from 30 matches, only 2 points away from the Champions League spots and will face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-final on April 26.

Leon Bailey missed the mid-week match against Brighton & Hove Albion and it is unclear whether the forward would be risked for the home match against Forest on Saturday. Ross Barkley could make an appearance on the bench after missing 16 matches across all competitions since mid-January as the former Chelsea midfielder has resumed team training.

Nottingham Forest

The Tricky Trees continue to have a dream season and are currently placed in third position in the Premier League with 57 points from 30 matches and look set for a return to European football. Forest will also face Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final and a growing injury list would be the biggest concern for Nuno ahead of the run-in.

Ola Aina would be the biggest miss for Forest as the right-back went down with injury in the 1-0 win against Manchester United and would certainly miss a few matches. His replacement on Tuesday, Alex Moreno would be unavailable to face his parent club Aston Villa while Chris Wood is also unlikely to feature but Callum Hudson Odoi is back after missing the mid-week battle and should be in the squad for the away trip to Birmingham.

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Under/Over Predictions

The Playoffs aim to facilitate the safest bets for the game. Have a look at the predictions for the game below.

Total goals Over 2.5 @ -129 (MGM Bet): While Forest has scored more goals than Aston Villa this season, the Villa forwards have more firepower and are in better form going into the weekend. With stars like Anthony Elanga, Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, and Morgan Gibbs-White in action, we are bracing ourselves for an action-packed match.

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Player Picks

Marcus Rashford (To Score a Goal @ +255 as per MGM Bet): A player that seems reborn since moving to the midlands from Manchester as the former Manchester United star has already scored 3 goals and provided 4 assists in 11 appearances for Emery’s side. With Forest missing a couple of key players, Rashford’s speed and trickery can cause some trouble for Nuno’s men on Saturday.

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Match Prediction

Unbeaten in their last eight home league matches against Nottingham Forest, Villa would be keen to continue the imperious record in front of their fans. On the other hand, Forest would be licking their lips at a chance of doing a double over the club from the Midlands for the first time since the 1984-85 season.

Our Final Prediction: After doing a double over Manchester United, Forest has a chance to do a double over Aston Villa but the imperious form of Villa forwards like Rashford and Asensio should be enough to win the match for Villa; we predict a 2-1 win for the hosts.

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Mohak Arora

A stand-up comedian and a sports journalist with speciality in writing prediction pieces and features on football, cricket, and badminton. Over the last few years, I have contributed pieces to iGaming giants like Parimatch, 1X News, and Melbet.