ENGLISH PREMIER BETTING PREVIEW - NOTTINGHAM FOREST VS ASTON VILLA

English Premier

2026-04-12 - Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 12th April 2026 - Kick Off 2pm
This game is live on TV

---

Nottingham Forest

They may feel a touch fortunate to have returned home with a 1-1 draw in the Europa League Quarter Final First Leg, but it is a result that will give Nottingham Forest confidence of reaching the final four. At the same time, Vitor Pereira will be looking for his team to build on the big win at Tottenham Hotspur by picking up another three points in the Premier League relegation fight.

Three points before the March international break pushed Nottingham Forest up into 16th place in the Premier League table and 3 points clear of the relegation zone. That gap could have closed if West Ham United have won on Friday night, but Nottingham Forest will only be focusing on finding a way to improve the 3-5-7 home record in the top flight.

Nottingham Forest have lost 1 of the last 6 games in all competitions and they had won consecutive fixtures before the draw in Porto on Thursday. The Tricky Trees have won 1 of the last 10 home games in all competitions and Nottingham Forest had lost 3 in a row at the City Ground before the goalless draw with Fulham.

Jair Cunha is still hoping to find a way to get back into the squad and overcome his injury. Vitor Pereira kept some of his key players on the bench to start the Quarter Final tie on Thursday, but those should be restored in this fixture.

Aston Villa

Reports suggest Aston Villa are going to have to sell key players in the summer to balance the financial numbers even if they are able to earn a return to the Champions League. Those reports will frustrate the manager and the fans, but Aston Villa's squad have remained focused and the 1-3 win in Bologna on Thursday means they have one foot in the Europa League Semi Final.

That competition offers Aston Villa one route back into the Champions League and the side are 4th in the Premier League table and 6 points clear of Chelsea in 6th place. The Villans can keep the pressure on the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea by improving the 6-4-5 away record in the Premier League.

Aston Villa have won 4 of the last 5 games in all competitions and that includes a very important 2-0 win over West Ham United when last in Premier League action. The side have not won any of the last 3 away Premier League games and have lost consecutive fixtures on their travels, although Aston Villa have won Europa League games at Lille and Bologna in that time.

Jadon Sancho is expected to return next weekend.

Head to Head

Aston Villa beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 at Villa Park in the reverse fixture.

Nottingham Forest have not been beaten in 3 home games against Aston Villa since returning to the top flight, but needed two very late goals to come from behind in a 2-1 win here at the City Ground last season.

Prediction

Both of these teams earned solid away results in the Europa League Quarter Final on Thursday, but Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa do need valuable Premier League points to achieve the aims set out.

Both had very strong results before the March international break, which has put them on course, but this is another important fixture.

Nottingham Forest have really been struggling for results at the City Ground all season and a single win in 10 fixtures here in all competitions backs that up. They have not played poorly, but the fine margins have tended to lean away from Nottingham Forest and that has resulted in some narrow losses before the goalless draw with Fulham.

They can take some confidence from the fact that Aston Villa have suffered consecutive away Premier League defeats, including at bottom club Wolves.

Add to that the recent history when Nottingham Forest have hosted Aston Villa and Vitor Pereira's men will feel they can do enough to edge a bit clearer of the bottom three.

However, Aston Villa have plenty of quality and they should be respected with a 6 point lead over Chelsea in the Champions League race. The win in Bologna will have been a big boost for Aston Villa and they will feel they should have won here last season before conceding twice in the last three minutes to lose 2-1.

A draw might not be the best result for either, but there is also a feeling that both managers would accept that and move onto next week.

The first goal is going to be really important, but it would not be a surprise if the points end up being shared on current form that both have been producing at home/away respectively.

The Pick :

Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back the Draw at 3.50 with BetFred