Nottingham Forest

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Villa fans

Ian: Talk about a game of two halves! In control in the first half, but should have kept on the front foot and got the third goal to kill game off. But fair play to a very good Forest team, who could have won it in the second half. Eight changes from our last game shows our strength in depth and highlights how far we have come under Unai Emery. We have kept the dream alive, with a massive game at PSG in the week ahead. Keep the faith.

Jay: Difference between the two teams was Forest had no finisher and their bench was lacking in players to change the game. Emery's substitution of Garcia actually gave them more attacking space as Axel Disasi sat back. A worthy win. Despite the number of wild shots they had in the second half, we had better quality chances to finish it, which weren't needed in the end.

Mark: Make eight changes against third in the league and come away with three points... Unai is a genius.

Emma: What momentum we have! Also, having a full squad and being able to rotate is really helping. Unai Emery is one of the best managers. Now go and do us supporters proud against PSG.

Forest fans

Michael: As Jimmy Greaves would say, it was a game of two halves. Forest set up in the first half to accommodate some injuries, but it turned out to be all wrong and Villa ruthlessly exposed that inside two minutes. The second half was exactly what you would expect from Forest and they played so much better. Too bad both strikers were out injured.

Gary: Disappointed not to take something from the game as the overall performance was good. A terrible start caused by defence changes, which ultimately cost us at least a point. I'm still positive for the remaining games and we should able to pick up enough points to qualify for Europe.

Keith: Shambolic defending yet again. We are lacking a leader. Also there are now more question marks around the goalkeeper.

Mossy: Cannot begrudge that win by Aston Villa. They are the template for how Nottingham Forest should be next season. As for the remaining games, please no more injuries!

Gary Lineker presents highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

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• Crystal Palace 2-1 Brighton

• Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo suffered the disappointment of defeat to Aston Villa, but consolation will come from an outstanding second half performance.

Nuno will have hoped to round-off a perfect week, that has seen Forest secure an FA Cup semi-final place against Manchester City at Wembley and keep on course for their dream of reaching next season's Champions League with victory over Manchester United at The City Ground, with a good result at Villa Park.

It was not to be though, after a poor start saw Aston Villa go 2-0 up in 15 minutes through goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen.

This was a nightmare opening but Forest's performance afterwards showed exactly why they have been this season's Premier League surprise package.

Instead of subsiding under Villa's pressure, Forest launched a fierce fightback which could have brought rewards before the interval, with Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi only inches off target.

And Forest continued to pressurise Villa after the break, showing they can take the initiative as well as employ their trademark counter-attacking game.

Jota Silva pulled one back before Murillo almost earned Forest a point when he thundered a 30-yard drive against the bar in the closing moments.

Forest had 19 shots - two more than Villa - but were not clinical enough with only three shots on target.

Nuno's side still remain in prime position to reach the Champions League next season, something almost unthinkable before the start of the season, as they sit five points ahead of Chelsea in fourth having played one game more.

This was a setback - but there was more than enough in how they responded to a dreadful start to give Forest and their supporters encouragement for the remainder of the campaign, as proven by the ovation they received after the final whistle.

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Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams has been speaking to Sky Sports about the defeat at Villa Park: "The first half let us down, we weren't good enough in the first 15 minutes especially. They created way more chances and dominated. We came in at half-time and things had to change.

"In the second half, we created many chances but it is the goals you need and unfortunately we just couldn't get them today. It's frustrating. We created many chances, we just couldn't get it over the line, but the positives are there.

"That's what let us down [the first-half performance]. We are usually so compact and strong in the first 15 minutes, because that's when teams can get at you. That's what killed us.

"The reaction we showed was positive but it was just not enough.

"We will be straight back in to do our recovery and back on the grass to work towards Everton, another massive game. The final games are huge for us."

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Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to Sky Sports about the defeat: "We didn't start well, Aston Villa controlled our chances. The second half was different, we had the chances but we couldn't score. The first half was not good, we were not organised."

On the changes he made at half-time: "We tried to find solutions. The boys showed a better game. It was one of the matches that we created the most in but didn't take anything from the game.

"When you lose, you don't recover so well. The miles come to your mind. It's always easy when you are in a good moment. Now it is not so good and it requires a bit of patience."

On his missing players: "I don't know [when they will be back]. It is going to be day-to-day. He [Taiwo Awoniyi] felt something in his hamstring."

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Nottingham Forest have lost four of their last five Premier League away games (W1), having lost just two of their first 11 games on the road this season (W7 D2).

Having failed to score in any of his first 22 Premier League appearances, Jota Silva has since scored in three of his last four. All three of his goals have come as a substitute since the turn of the year, with no player netting more goals from the bench in 2025 (level with Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz).

Were you at Villa Park or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Aston Villa's performance

What did you make of Nottingham Forest display?

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Five matches make up Saturday's Premier League action and BBC Sport will bring you every kick.

• Everton v Arsenal (12:30)

• Crystal Palace v Brighton

• Ipswich v Wolves

• West Ham v Bournemouth

• Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest (17:30)

All kick-off times 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

Nottingham Forest are flying, but so are Aston Villa - they have now won six on the spin.

Forest nicked the points late on at the City Ground when Villa went there in December, coming from 1-0 down after 87 minutes to win it in stoppage time.

This will be just as close, and I cannot really call a winner.

Even if they do drop points here, I am still confident Forest will finish in the Champions League places.

We saw again when they beat Manchester United on Tuesday that they are not bothered about possession because of their threat on the break and Anthony Elanga's winner in that game was one of my favourite goals of the season.

The way he took it was really intelligent, because he had the option to pop the ball out to the left but the United backline kept backing off, and he just kept on going. His finish was devastating too and, overall, it reminded me of me in my pomp with the way I used to drive up the pitch.

It's going to be harder for Aston Villa to make the top five, because they still have the Champions League and FA Cup to think about, but they are on a great run and, at the moment, they have the depth in the squad they need even if they make changes here before they face Paris St-Germain next week.

I don't think Villa boss Unai Emery will prioritise any of the three competitions. They are in them all, so he will go for it in all three - and so he should.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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I would like to think Nottingham Forest are safe now from dropping out of a Champions League spot.

I know they are taking it game by game, but they are very hard to beat.

They show a defensive resilience like no other team in the league and they have adopted a style that, again, no other team in the league has adapted to this year.

I really like the way that they have played. As a neutral, they have been a breath of fresh air.

We are so used to teams risking the ball at the back - but Forest don't. They know what their strengths are and they look like they enjoy defending.

To get their players to be so gritty is brilliant. Who would have thought that the likes of Callum Hudson-Odoi - when he was at Chelsea, or even when he went to Germany - or Anthony Elanga when he was at Manchester United, had that side to their game?

They are exciting to watch in the transition and the speed they counter-attack at is phenomenal.

They play Aston Villa this weekend and I think that will be a difficult test. Villa are inconsistent but that is probably not helped by the amount of games they have played this season because juggling competitions is hard.

They had to strengthen in January and those players are really helping them as Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford have found their form at a critical stage.

I think this game will be good, exciting contest. Villa Park is always a difficult place to go too, but just not losing is enough for Forest.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Katie Stafford

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Former Nottingham Forest striker Nigel Clough says the current side have "got every chance" of beating Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley later this month.

Clough was part of the Reds team that lost to Tottenham in the 1991 final and believes the group Nuno Espirito Santo has assembled can go one better this campaign.

"It just reinforces the season they're having," Clough told BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast.

"Going down to Brighton and getting a 0-0 after 120 minutes - you then fancied them on penalties. You talk about confidence having done so well in the penalty shootouts they've had so far, so I think once it goes to penalties, they think they're going to win.

"They get the chance now to have a go at Manchester City in the semis, which I think is a brilliant time for everybody connected with Forest.

"You're not playing the City that you were a couple of seasons ago. They just beat them at the City Ground a couple of weeks back so they've got every chance.

"What they've done so far is an incredible achievement. It's how far can they extend it now."

As the son of Forest's legendary manager Brian Clough, current Mansfield boss Nigel appreciates what success means to the people of Nottingham.

"Supporters have waited a long time at Forest from the glory days so I think it's great that they've got fresh memories for the new generation," he said.

"I bet all their parents and grandparents tell them: 'I remember the '70s and the '80s when Forest did that.'

"For them to get their own memories now is absolutely brilliant."

Listen to the episode on BBC Sounds

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The schedule for the FA Cup semi-finals has been confirmed.

Saturday, 26 April

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa, 17:15 BST, BBC One

Sunday, 27 April

Nottingham Forest v Manchester City, 16:30 BST

Both ties will take place at Wembley Stadium.

Image source, Getty Images

Nuno Espirito Santo has been announced as the Premier League manager of the month for March.

This is the third time he has won the award this season after winning in October and December 2024 and he becomes the first Forest boss to win it three times in one season.

This is also the seventh time Nuno has won the award and ties with Mikel Arteta and Rafa Benitez in the all-time list.

Only seven managers have won more than the Forest boss.

In March, Forest, third in the Premier League, beat Manchester City and Ipswich to maintain their challenge for Champions League qualification.

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa are unbeaten in their past eight home league games against Nottingham Forest. They have also scored at least twice in each of the past seven.

Following their 2-1 win at the City Ground in December, Nottingham Forest are looking to complete their first league double over Aston Villa since 1984-85.

The latest episode of BBC Radio Nottingham's Shut Up And Show More Football has landed.

David Jackson and Colin Fray discuss Forest reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 1991, as well as a season that keeps getting better and better.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game at Aston Villa (kick-off 17:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Ola Aina has had a scan on his calf and he will be "out for a while", with Nuno adding: "It's a big blow and we are going to miss him."

• Chris Wood will be assessed before a decision is made for Saturday as his recovery is "day by day". Callum Hudson-Odoi, who missed Tuesday's win over Manchester United, is available.

• On Anthony Elanga's goal against his former club United: "He is improving because he has been able to play game after game. His team-mates recognise his abilities and his space. That goal on Tuesday was a credit to him and his capacity to drive with the ball and keep increasing the speed while controlling it."

• He said the players' grit and togetherness "has been our foundation since the beginning" but for the final run of games they "have to keep it" going.

• On the team spirit: "It is always nice to work in a good atmosphere and we have been able to spend time together, more than just our job obligations. Results help and you can see on the pitch that the boys are together."

• He said "it's natural" for those relationships to form but sometimes "special people get together and create special moments, and this is an example of that".

• On opponents Villa: "They are a very good team. They reinforced and balanced the squad in the January window but they have been improving since I joined here. They have talent and quality."

• In response to the Opta supercomputer giving Forest a 93.3% chance of making the Champions League: "I am just thinking about today, preparing the boys well tomorrow and then competing well against Villa. The predictions don't dictate our decisions."

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary of Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest at 17:30 on Saturday

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Highlights and analysis from nine midweek Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 2-1 Fulham

• Nottingham Forest 1-0 Man Utd

• Liverpool 1-0 Everton

• Newcastle 2-1 Brentford

Nottingham Forest, Arsenal and Liverpool are interested in Algeria striker Mohamed Amoura, 24, who is currently on loan at Wolfsburg from Union St-Gilloise. (L'Equipe - in French), external

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