Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa predictions, odds and betting tips
Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa will meet in a top-six clash at the City Ground in the Saturday evening kick off live on TV.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa best bets
- Draw and both teams to score (Yes) - 16/5 with Betfred
- Both teams to score and under 4.5 goals - 11/10 with Betfred
- Jhon Duran to score anytime - 21/10 with Betfred
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa odds
Find the latest match odds for Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa predictions
The winner of thi✨s top-six showdown will find themselves in the top four on Saturday night. And depending on how Manchester City gets on in their derby match against United on Sunday, maybe at the end of Matchweek 16.
That might not come as much of a shock to Aston Villa fans used to recent success under Unai Emery, but it certainly 🔯will to Nottingham Forest fans who are mo꧒re used to fighting for Premier League survival than Champions League places.
Nuno Espirito Santo is doing an outstanding job at the City Ground. Forest fans must constantly feel the need to pinch themselves this season to check they aꩵren’t dreaming.
The Reds were already the only team to beat runaway league lea🅠ders Liverpool this season, they won 1-0 at Anfield in mid August. Then on Saturday, Forest added another elite club to their list of scalps when they defeated Manchester United 3-2 at Old Trafford.
United may be going through a tough time, bꦰut only Liverpool and Spurs had won there previously this season.
Forest sit fifth in the Premier League with 25 po🌞ints from 15 matches.
Part of their success this season is built on a solid defence that has conceded just 18 goals. Only Liverpool (11) and Arꦚsenal (15) have conceded fewer.
Also contributing is striker Chris Wood, who notched his 10th goal of the season in the win at Old Trafford. Only Erling Haaland (13), Mohamed Salah (13) a﷽nd Cole Palmer (11) have more Premier League goals in this campaign.
Forest’s opponents on Saturday, Aston Villa, sit sixth in the Premier League on 25 points - the same as Nuno’s team. Villa’s goal difference is 0, one behind Forest’s +1. That's all that separates the two teams.
In their last five in the Premier League, Villa has won t⛄wo, drawn two and lost one.
The caveat there is that the West Midlands club is trying to navigate the Premier League and the Champions League. Overall, Villa are🍸 doing well♉.
Along with knocking on the door of the 𓄧Premier League top four, the Claret and Blue sit fifth in the Champions League table. They are looking good to finish in the top eight and go directly to the 🍌Round of 16.
There has been a drop in form recently. But that is understandable, and the Villa▨ns seem to have ridden out that🎐 patch of poor form and are starting to come good again.
Since losing 3-0♊ to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on December 1st, Villa have won three in a row in all competitions.
Home Pr🦹emier League wins over Brentford (3-1) and Southampton (1-0) were followed by an impressive 3-2 win away at RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Ross Barkley sealed the three po♊ints with a winning goal after 85 minutes in a match Villa had already led twice in.
In team news, Forest are still without the injured Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare. Also𒁃 missing for the Tricky Trees is on loan Aston Villa full-back Alex Moreno w🎶ho is unavailable to play against his parent club.
Aston Villa could be without England striker Ollie Watkins. The forward failed to appear for the 2nd half in Germany, with Jhon Duran replacing him. According to Vil♐la boss Unai Emery, Wakins has a small injury.
It is as yet𒐪 an unknown injury, but with the busy Christmas period coming up, it would be no shock to see Watkins not start against Forest.
His likely replacement, Jhon Duran is having a sensational season, and many Villa fans wou🎶ld be happy to see the just-turned𒊎 21-year-old start in place of the Englishman anyway.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa betting tips
Under Steve Cooper Nottingham Forest were notoriously difficult to beat at the City Ground. Bu༺t that is not the case under the current regime.
Nuno Espirito Santo may h🍎ave the team in the💃 top six of the Premier League, but this certainly isn’t down to good home form. Forest have lost at home to Fulham and Newcastle, and have been held to draws by Wolves and Bournemouth.
Vi🌜lla have struggled on the road recently. But we can see an improved performance this Saturday after losses awꦑay at Spurs, Chelsea and Liverpool. We can’t split the teams and think this one may end in a draw: More match betting tips follow:
Draw and both teams to score (Yes) - 16/5
A 🍃look at the Premier League table tells you that these are two 🦩very evenly matched teams.
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Villa has been poor on the road against top six teams, but with European comm💫itment💯s now over until the new year, they can throw all their resources at the Premier League this Saturday with no midweek fixtures the following week.
The draw is 5/2, but can anyone see this ending 0-0? No, nor me. If it is going to b🌊e a draw🧔, it makes far more sense to take the better odds and back both teams to score as well.
⚽ Tip - Back the Draw and BTTS at 16/5 with Betfred ⚽
Both teams to score and under 4.5 goals - 11/10
Forest dಌid have a 3-2 win last Saturday, and Villa won by the same scoreline in Europe in midweek.
But, matches at the City Ground ha𝓡ven’t resulted in many goals this season. Over 4.5 goals hasn’t been covered in seven matches, the closest it came to happening was in Forest’s 3-1 defeat to Newcastle.
Both teams found the back of the net in only three of those seven matches. But we can see Villa s꧟coring against the Tricky Trees this weekend. The Clarets have score♔d in seven in their last three.
⚽ Tip - Back both teams to score and under 4.5 🧔goals at 🐽11/10 with Betfred ⚽
Jhon Duran to score - 21/10
An🐼y neutrals might be under the impression that Jhon Duran scores whenev𒈔er he comes onto the pitch.
That is obviously statistically wrong. Duran has only scored five 🍃goals in the Premier League this season, and four of them came in the opening five matches.
But, Duran has only played 406 minutes of Premier League football this season. Meaning he scores a goa🧸l every 81 minutes he 🔯is on the pitch.
Furthermore, Duran has played 🌠204 minutes in the Champions League and scored three. A goal every 68 minutes. You really can’t arg♍ue with those stats, and it’s clear why a lot of Villa fans want him to start.
Duran got his first start of the seꩵason against Southampton last Saturday. He ⛦scored.
With Ollie Watkin♍s ཧa doubt to play against Forest, a bet on Duran to score - if he starts the game - is a must.
⚽ Tip - Back Jhon Duran to score against Forest 💝at 21/10 with Betfred ⚽
📺 How to watch Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
- Location: City Ground, Nottingham, England.
- Date and time: Saturday 14th December, 5.30 pm GMT.
- How to watch: Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Premier League and Sky Sports Ultra HDR.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
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About the author
Dean Etheridge
Dean Etheridge is an experienced freelance sports betting writer who specialises in football. He predominantly covers the Premier League and Champions League but can turn his hand to all aspec🉐ts of𝓀 the beautiful game. You can follow Dean on LinkedIn ()
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