Aston Villa eager to bounce back to winning ways as Nottingham Forest visits.
Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest kicks off at 12:30 [GMT] on Saturday, January 3, 2026, at Villa Park.
Historically, Villa Park has been an unforgiving venue for Forest. Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home games against the Tricky Trees, winning the most recent five in succession. Forest’s last away league victory at Villa came back in October 1994, a 2-0 win under Ron Atkinson, highlighting just how rare positive visits to the Midlands have been. However, the broader head-to-head picture has tightened. Nottingham Forest have won two of their last four league meetings with Villa, equalling the number of wins they managed across the previous 18 encounters combined. Villa’s home form overall has been one of the defining features of their campaign. They have won their last 10 home games in all competitions, a run that places them among the most reliable home sides in the division. The last time Villa exceeded this kind of streak was over three decades ago, underlining how formidable they have become at Villa Park. Their recent Premier League momentum was briefly checked by a 4-1 defeat away at Arsenal, which ended an eight-game winning run in the league. Even so, Villa have rarely followed one setback with another. Since the start of the 2023-24 season, they have lost consecutive league matches only twice, suggesting a strong capacity to respond after disappointment. Bouncing back [WWWWL] to winning ways remains Villa’s objective. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Ollie Watkins in attack is expected against the Tricky Trees.
Nottingham Forest’s recent pattern has been more uneven, particularly in attack. No team has failed to score in more separate Premier League matches this season than Forest, drawing blanks in 10 different games. Only Wolves have scored fewer total goals, highlighting a recurring challenge in turning possession or territory into an end product. That struggle has often defined their performances, especially against sides capable of controlling games at home. From a managerial perspective, Villa Park has become a difficult stop for Forest boss Sean Dyche. After beginning his Premier League away visits to Villa with an unbeaten run, he has lost his last two trips there, conceding seven goals across those matches. Those results reflect the growing gap between Villa’s home assurance and Forest’s difficulty in maintaining defensive stability in this fixture. Taken together, the match brings together Villa’s long-standing home strength and Forest’s ongoing search for attacking consistency, with recent meetings suggesting a rivalry that is gradually becoming less predictable. A 4—2—3—1 formation with Igor Jesus in attack is expected against Villa.