Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa betting tips: Europa League semi selections
Premier League rivals Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are set for a Europa League semi-final showdown with their first leg taking place at the City Ground on Thursday evening.
Aston Villa are appearing in a continental semi-final for the second time in three years, losing to eventual winners Olympiakos in the Conference League in 2023/24.
Forest, meanwhile, are back on this stage for the first time since the 1983/84 UEFA Cup loss to Anderlecht.
There are 19 points between the sides domestically, with Villa in fifth and Forest down in 16th, attempting to beat the drop.
GET UP TO £40 IN FREE BETS WHEN YOU BET ON THE FOOTBALL WITH talkSPORT BET
Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa betting tips
Forest may gain the advantage
The City Ground will be rocking for this Europa League semi-final first leg and it could be a good foundation for a home win.
The Tricky Trees haven’t lost any of their last four home assignments against Aston Villa (W2, D2), the latest of those a 1-1 draw earlier in the month.
Forest have shone in Europa League action, ranking second-best for shots, shots on target and touches in the opposition box.
The Reds have conceded just seven times in their last 12 continental starts, a stat borne from facing the fewest shots on target since Matchday 3 in the league phase. They can grab a slender first-leg lead to take to Birmingham.
Gibbs-White the man to watch
Morgan Gibbs-White is a player in red-hot form. The Forest ace has six goal contributions in his last three appearances, scoring five times, including a treble in the win over Burnley at the City Ground.
He scored here against Porto in the quarter-finals, one of three Europa League goals to go alongside three assists this season.
The 26-year-old is making a late play for inclusion in England’s World Cup squad bound for North America this summer. He’s capable of landing at least two shots on the Villa goal.
Tense evening in store
It ended 1-1 here when the sides met in the Premier League on April 12, ensuring three of the last four City Ground duels have produced exactly two goals.
Unai Emery is the master of the Europa League, the Spaniard set to take charge of his seventh semi-final as he pursues a record-extending fifth trophy next month.
Villa have earned three shutouts in six Europa League away games, while each of Forest’s last four in this competition has come in under 2.5 goals.
Vitor Pereira’s side have notched three clean sheets in their last six games across all competitions despite the pressure of trying to stave off relegation in the Premier League.
Regardless of the attacking talents on show, it could be a low-scoring evening by the River Trent, ensuring this is all to play for in the second leg at Villa Park.
GET UP TO £40 IN FREE BETS WHEN YOU BET ON THE FOOTBALL WITH talkSPORT BET
Odds correct at time of publish and subject to change*
*18+ New customers only. Opt in and bet up to £40 (min. £20) via mobile or app on any football (odds 1/1+) within 7 days of registration. Get up to £40 in free bets on selected markets, which expire in 7 days. T&Cs apply. GambleAware.org | Please gamble responsibly
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry or depressed
- GamCare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
Commercial content notice: Taking one of the bookmaker offers featured in this article may result in a payment to talkSPORT. 18+. T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org
What's Your Reaction?
Like
0
Dislike
0
Love
0
Funny
0
Angry
0
Sad
0
Wow
0
