Aston Villa face a tough challenge as they look to secure their place in the Europa League final. Nottingham Forest defeated Unai Emery’s side 1-0 at the City Ground last week, with Chris Wood converting a second-half penalty after Lucas Digne was penalised for handball.
Contrasting Form
The two teams head into the second leg in sharply contrasting form. Villa have lost three matches in a row, while Forest are riding high with five consecutive victories. Forest have scored 13 goals in their last four games and are full of confidence, especially after effectively securing their Premier League safety with a 3-1 win over Chelsea on Monday.
Injury Updates
Both managers are set to speak to the media on Wednesday afternoon, where they are expected to provide updates on injuries. John McGinn missed Villa’s match against Tottenham as a precaution due to a tight hamstring, while Amadou Onana has been dealing with a calf issue.
Predicted Lineup
Emi Martinez is expected to start in goal, likely behind a defence of Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, and Lucas Digne. The midfield pairing alongside Youri Tielemans remains an interesting decision. If fit, Onana is likely to start, but if he is unavailable, Lamare Bogarde could keep his place despite recent struggles. Alternatively, McGinn could return in a deeper role, forming a double pivot with Tielemans. This would allow Morgan Rogers, Emi Buendia, and Jadon Sancho to support Ollie Watkins in attack.
Predicted Aston Villa starting XI: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Tielemans, McGinn; Sancho, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins.
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