Overview
- The Premier League fixture is confirmed for Saturday, September 12 at 3pm BST at Villa Park and will be shown in the UK on Sky Sports and NOW TV.
- Aston Villa carried momentum from a 3-2 Champions League win in Bruges on Tuesday but remain goal-shy in the domestic league and are seeking their first meaningful Premier League result.
- Villa face availability problems with Johan Manzambi and Leon Goretzka still unavailable and Joao Gomes ruled out by suspension, and several outlets predict a 4-2-3-1 with Zion Suzuki in goal and Nicolas Jackson leading the line.
- Nottingham Forest arrive without a league win, having drawn with Liverpool and Tottenham, and will rely on attacking threats such as Morgan Gibbs-White and Liam Delap to challenge Villa's defence.
- Bookmakers and media are publishing odds and boosted accumulator offers ahead of the match, with several previews and tipsters treating the game as an opportunity for either side to halt a troubling start to the season.