Nottingham Forest host Aston Villa at the City Ground in a blockbuster Midlands derby in Monday Night Football.
Victory would see Forest climb to 18th on the table unless they can win by a six-goal margin to move out of the relegation zone.
Villa meanwhile can climb to ninth with a win.
Team News
Forest have no fresh injury concerns to report following their defeat at Leicester as Emmanuel Dennis looks to return to the starting line-up.
Moussa Niakhate (thigh) and Omar Richards (leg) both remain absent.
Villa will be without Ludwig Augustinsson after he suffered a hamstring injury on his Premier League debut in a goalless draw at Leeds last weekend.
Calum Chambers (illness) and Leon Bailey (muscle) are doubts and could face late fitness tests.
Matty Cash (hamstring) is set to retun but Boubacar Kamara (knee), Lucas Digne (heel) and Diego Carlos (Achilles) are ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Forest have won just one of 10 previous Premier League meetings against Aston Villa (W1, D4, L5).
- Villa are unbeaten in five previous Premier League visits to Forest (W2, D3).
- Forest have failed to keep a clean sheet in eight meetings against Villa since their goalless draw in February 1997.
- Forest have scored in three of their four home matches (W1, L3), of which they scored first in each of those three matches.
- Villa have scored just one point in their last five away matches in the Premier League (D1, L4).
Prediction
Following another shambolic defensive performance which came in their 4-0 defeat at Leicester last week, Forest certainly need to somehow reset and focus on shoring up their defence because poor marking has been their biggest downfall in recent matches.
Villa meanwhile will be eager to get back on the goal trail after they were frustrated in a goalless draw at Leeds last weekend, in which they were often denied either by Illan Meslier or their own sloppy finishing amidst a dominant second-half with solid defending throughout.
A positive start therefore will be crucial because Forest definitely have the attack to cause issues and score goals, yet their defence have cost them heavily which is something that Villa should look to target with a tough press and fast-paced movement on and off the ball.
Now if Steven Gerrard’s Villains can do that whilst showing a clinical edge to their attack, I can see them getting a routine win but Forest certainly shouldn’t be underestimated at home, especially after Steve Cooper’s contract as manager was extended which should lift his squad’s spirits.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa
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