Nottingham Forest: 21-year first vs Aston Villa will secure Europa League final place in style

Nottingham Forest can secure their place in the Europa League final if they avoid defeat away at Aston Villa for the first time since 2018 on Thursday.

The Tricky Trees need at least a draw at Villa Park, after Chris Wood’s penalty saw them take a 1-0 lead at the City Ground last week.

Nottingham Forest’s last draw at Villa Park came in a dramatic 5-5 thriller with Villa in the 2018-19 Championship season.

Tammy Abraham scored four times at Villa Park on the night, with Lewis Grabban’s second ultimately securing a point for the visitors’ 10 men after Tobias Figueiredo had been sent off.

Nottingham Forest’s form sees them come into this game as favourites, but Unai Emery will hope to create an atmosphere that sees usual factors go out the window.

Nottingham Forest have not won at Aston Villa in 21 years

Nottingham Forest are the favourites against Villa, but Vitor Pereira will be well aware that his side cannot take anything for granted.

Villa Park has been the beating of the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City this season, and several other European giants last season.

Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers, among others, are more than capable of single-handedly flipping a game on its head, even if they are currently out of form.

And there is the history to consider for Nottingham Forest, too. While they have not earned a point from Villa Park since 2018, you have to go even further back for their last win.

That came in 1994, when Stuart Pearce and Steve Stone scored for Frank Clark’s team in the early years of the Premier League.

Pereira’s side do not need to win on Thursday. A well-fought draw would see them through to the Europa League final.

But Nottingham Forest will be confident that they can write some fresh history and beat Villa on their path to Istanbul.

Vitor Pereira has never lost to Villa

While history is not on Nottingham Forest’s side when it comes to previous results at Villa Park, their manager knows a thing or two about beating Emery’s team.

The Portuguese manager beat Villa 2-0 with Wolves in February of last year, and last month’s Premier League clash at the City Ground ended 1-1.

Pereira has never been to Villa Park, but he will be confident that he can extend his run of unbeaten matches against Emery’s team.

The 57-year-old still has a chance of overseeing a staggeringly good ending to the season, considering the situation he entered in February.

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