Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League latest score and goal updates
The two sides clash at The City Ground with Villa target a spot in the top four
Nottingham Forest host Aston Villa in today’s 2pm Premier League kick off. Forest are looking to bounce back from a heavy 3-0 loss to Liverpool in their last league game and are in search of points in their attempt to further distance themselves from the relegation zone.
They face a difficult task against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa though. Villa are unbeaten in their past six matches, across all competitions, and you need to go back to September for the last time they lost in the Premier League. The midlands side are fifth in the table and will end the day inside the top four should they be victorious.
Goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos makes his Forest debut as Matt Turner is dropped to the bench while Harry Toffolo and Taiwo Awoniyi come in for Willy Boly and Serge Aurier. Emery has named the same 11 that began Villa’s 3-1 win over Luton.
Follow the latest action from the Premier League below:
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
OVER! Forest should have their second goal of the game. Aina races down the right and pushes away Zaniolo, who is weak in the tackle and falls to the floor. He cuts the ball across to Dominguez, but he blasts a first-time shot well over.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
Villa are having a good spell in the game. Luiz sends an awkward corner into the box, but Vlachodimos punches it away. Forest push forward and force the ball all the way back to Martinez.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
SAVE! Diaby races forward on the counter after some neat Villa passes inside Forest's half. He slides a pass across to Zaniolo, who takes a heavy touch before driving a low shot towards the bottom corner. Vlachodimos is equal to it and blocks it out for a corner.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
Awoniyi has been unselfish on his return from injury and is dropping deep to collect the midfield to the attack. This time he comes to collect a pass from Dominguez before sending a throughball into the path of Elanga, who should do better with it.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
A cross from left to right is floated across to Diaby inside the box, but his shot loops over the bar and over. Villa's attack is struggling to get going.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
Villa are having joy down the left. Aina has shown his ability on the attack but is struggling against Digne. The former Everton man rolls a pass into the path of Zaniolo, but he cannot get a touch on it sliding across. The ball hits Vlachodimos and rebounds off the Italian before going out.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
Forest break with pace. Awoniyi displays some quick feet on the right and pokes a pass through to Gibbs-White, who switches the play to Elanga on the other side. He attempts to beat Kamara in the box, but the midfielder times his slide tackle to perfection.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
Aina does well to clear Cash's cross from the right over the bar. McGinn plays it short before getting it back from Cash, with the Scotland international curling it across to Digne. He takes a touch and blasts a low shot towards the goal that is blocked by Elanga.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
Digne gets away from Aina and has time to put a cross into the box from the left. He floats the ball into a dangerous area and Watkins is open, but Murillo gets his head on it to make a crucial clearance.
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa
Diaby has been surprisingly quiet in Villa’s attack so far. He has been in form since signing from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, scoring three goals and contributing three assists. Only four French players have ever scored or assisted more goals in their first 10 games: Eric Cantona (nine), Dimitri Payet (eight), Laurent Robert (eight) and David Ginola (seven). He has only had four touches, with Watkins on two.
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