Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Preview: Team News & Prediction

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Aston Villa got themselves a first win of the season in midweek as they now welcome a still winless Nottingham Forest side to Birmingham on Saturday.

Kick-off date/time: 12 September 2026 at 3:00 pm

How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / USA – NBC

How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / USA – Peacock

Aston Villa preview: Impressive win

Aston Villa come into this one on the back of an entertaining 3-2 victory over Belgian champions Club Brugge at the Jan Breydel Stadion in the first game of their UEFA Champions League league phase campaign.

The Villans had started their season with a 2-1 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup before defeats to Brighton and Hove Albion and Arsenal in the Premier League ahead of a goalless draw with newly-promoted Hull City last weekend.

Nottingham Forest preview: Steadier Forest

Oliver Glasner’s reign in charge of Nottingham Forest began with back-to-back defeats to Leeds United at the City Ground in the Premier League and then the EFL Cup but they have steadied themselves in their last couple of games.

Forest twice took the lead and eventually shared an entertaining 2-2 draw with Liverpool at Anfield before they then shared a goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur, unfortunate with that due to Neco Williams’ controversially disallowed goal in the second half.

Aston Villa team news: Midfield issues

Joao Gomes started in midweek against Club Brugge but the former Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder remains suspended for the hosts this weekend.

As well as the absence of Gomes, both Amadou Onana and Leon Goretzka remain sidelined with full-back Matty Cash also a doubt due to muscular tightness. Johan Manzambi has returned to training, though.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Suzuki; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen; Barkley, Kamara; McGinn, Buendia, Hemmings; Jackson

Unavailable: Onana (Injured), Goretzka (Injured), Gomes (Suspended), Madjo (Fitness)

Questionable: Cash (Fitness), Manzambi (Fitness)

Nottingham Forest team news: Sangare fit

Ivory Coast international defensive midfielder Ibrahim Sangare has returned and is now available for the hosts this weekend after missing the start of the season.

Forest have only one confirmed injury absentee with that being Nicolo Savona, while Daniel Munoz may well now be ready to start after being left on the bench from the start against Spurs.

Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Sels; Jair, Milenkovic, Murillo; Munoz, Schlager, McAtee, Williams; Ndoye, Gibbs-White; Delap

Unavailable: Savona (Injured)

Questionable:

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest prediction

Aston Villa showed signs of improvement in their 1-0 defeat to champions Arsenal before again appearing at least more solid in a goalless draw against in-form surprise package Hull at the MKM Stadium. However, Glasner has a style of football, as was the case at Crystal Palace and again already at Forest, that is well suited to allowing the opposition to have the ball, which Villa likely will do this weekend and so perhaps siding with the visitors is decent value in England’s second city.

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest tip: Double chance – Nottingham Forest to win or draw