Aston Villa vs Forest Prediction: Premier League Betting Tips & Odds

Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest meet at Villa Park on Sunday morning New Zealand time in a Premier League fixture between two clubs still searching for a first win of the season.

Villa’s summer overhaul has been enormous. Ollie Watkins left for Al Hilal, and he wasn’t alone. Martinez, Rogers, Tielemans, Konsa and Digne also walked out the door, leaving Unai Emery with a squad that looks fundamentally different to the Europa League winners of May. Zero goals in three Premier League games is a grim return, and the new-look attack has to click sooner rather than later.

In this Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest preview, I look at what’s gone wrong for both sides and where the value might be. I’ve got my eye on the draw market at $3.50 for those after football tips ahead of the weekend.

Aston Villa

There’s no sugarcoating it: Villa have been bad. They’ve got zero goals and just one point from three league games. Brighton tore them apart 4-0 on the opening weekend, Arsenal won 1-0 at Villa Park, and Hull held them to a goalless draw.

Nicolas Jackson is still settling after arriving in a deal worth up to 65 million pounds from Chelsea. He scored 11 goals on loan at Bayern last season, so the talent is there. It just hasn’t translated to the Premier League yet.

I do think this is a good fixture for Villa to get going. Emery’s record at home in this one is exceptional, and Jackson will be desperate to open his account in the league.

Team News: Onana is out for the season with an ACL injury. Gomes is suspended and nursing a calf problem. Manzambi and Bailey are both sidelined. Abraham and Madjo are also unavailable.

Predicted Lineup: Suzuki; Cash, Torres, Lindelof, Ruggeri; Goretzka, Barkley; McGinn, Buendia, Garnacho; Jackson.

Nottingham Forest

Oliver Glasner’s first weeks have been a mixed bag. Forest lost to Leeds on the opening weekend but then went to Anfield and twice took the lead in a 2-2 draw. Dan Ndoye’s composed finish and Morgan Gibbs-White’s penalty had Liverpool rattled.

Gibbs-White is the player I’m most wary of. He’s scored 13 Premier League goals in 2026, more than any other player this calendar year. If Forest are going to cause problems, it’ll be through him.

I’m less convinced by Forest’s attack. Glasner’s system gave Spurs very little last weekend in a 0-0 stalemate, and two goals from three league games is underwhelming given the options at his disposal.

Team News: Savona is recovering from a knee injury and could return later in September. Sangare is a doubt with a calf problem. Yates is also sidelined.

Predicted Lineup: Sels; Milenkovic, Cunha, Murillo; Munoz, Schlager, McAtee, Williams; Gibbs-White; Ndoye, Igor Jesus.

• Villa haven’t scored in any of their three Premier League games this season.
• Forest have gone three league games without a win under Glasner.
• Villa have won their last four Premier League meetings at Villa Park against Forest, scoring 11 goals across those games.
• Forest last won at Villa Park in October 1994.
• Both teams scored in three of the last four Premier League meetings at this ground.

I’m torn on this one, and I think that’s the point.

Villa haven’t scored in the Premier League yet, and that’s a problem no matter how good their home record is in this fixture. They’ve looked disjointed, which is inevitable when you lose half your spine in one window. Jackson needs time to gel, and the defensive options without Onana are thin.

Forest won’t come to Villa Park looking to attack. Glasner’s Palace teams were a nightmare on the counter, and he’s already getting a similar tune out of this squad. Gibbs-White feeding Ndoye in transition is a dangerous combination, even if Forest’s overall output has been low.

My gut says draw. Both teams want to win badly enough that they’ll cancel each other out, and the price is right at $3.50 on the best betting apps for this one.

Draw @ $3.50

Neither side has won in the league yet. Villa are desperate for their first Premier League goal of the season, but doing it against a well-drilled Glasner side won’t be straightforward.

Forest have conceded just three goals in three league games. Gibbs-White and Ndoye give them enough on the break to nick a goal. And Villa’s home comfort in this fixture doesn’t account for the fact that this is essentially a new squad finding its feet.

At $3.50, I’m happy to back neither side getting over the line this weekend on the new betting sites available in New Zealand.