- 1 Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest: no goals in three league games, and that tells the story
- 2 Aston Villa are still waiting for their first goal of the season
- 3 Nottingham Forest keep moving, but not winning
- 4 Premier League prediction Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
- 5 First, a word on our free predictions
- 6 No commitment from us
- 7 Information that can change
- 8 Your role
- 9 Responsible gambling first
- 10 Legal age
- 11 About the images…
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest: no goals in three league games, and that tells the story 
Aston Villa have not scored since the Premier League 2026-27 got underway. Three games in, no goals, five conceded.
That blank return leaves the Villans 17th with just one point. Nottingham Forest sit one place and one point above them. Unai Emery’s men did at least find some relief in the Champions League, beating Club Brugge 3-2 away from home.
So matchday four throws the pair together at Villa Park on Saturday 12 September at 15:00.
Forest come in on the back of two straight draws. The first was snatched at Anfield on 29 August, finishing 2-2, with Dan Ndoye scoring from a huge Matz Sels clearance.
The second came at the City Ground against Tottenham a week later. That draw prompted Roberto De Zerbi to publicly defend the makeup of his own squad soon after.
Villa, meanwhile, picked up a point at Hull City on matchday three. That result needs a bit of context: the promoted side had not conceded a league goal at that stage.
The top end of the table has already started to stretch out, with Manchester City and Arsenal on nine points from nine. Both clubs have the same +5 goal difference, with City top on goals scored, seven to six.
At the bottom, things are tightening around Fulham and Coventry City, who are still on zero. Aston Villa and Tottenham are right behind them on one point each.
Seven games kick off at the same time on Saturday afternoon. Sunderland host Arsenal in the evening, and the Manchester derby rounds off the weekend on Sunday.
The head-to-head record leans towards the hosts, with eight Villa wins to Forest’s five, plus five draws. But this weekend feels more about blunt attacks than old history.
Aston Villa are still waiting for their first goal of the season 
One point from three games, no goals scored: Aston Villa have the worst attack in the division. Only Tottenham share that same one-point total.
It started with back-to-back defeats. After two games, the club had one point? No — it had zero points, zero goals and five conceded.
Arsenal’s visit on 31 August did nothing to change the mood. The English champions left Villa Park with a 1-0 win and a clean sheet.
The trip to Hull City at least stopped the bleeding in the table. Villa got their first point there, but they still failed to score against a defence that had not conceded in its first three matches.
The schedule has hardly been brutal either. Against the reigning champions and a promoted side, Villa have had chances to get moving.
The five goals conceded since the restart are not the main issue. The problem is very clearly at the sharp end.
None of their three outings, home or away, has produced a goal. Runs like that start to weigh heavily when the games are tight.
The two sides just above Villa are Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth, both on two points. A win on Saturday would lift Aston Villa several places in one go.
Villa Park is suddenly a place of immediate stakes. Another blank in matchday four would drag the club deeper into the danger zone, at a time when the calendar is showing no mercy.
Try it for $0.99.
Nottingham Forest keep moving, but not winning 
Two points from three games, 16th place: Nottingham Forest are not doing much better than Saturday’s opponents. They are still winless this season.
Their most convincing display remains that 2-2 draw at Anfield on 29 August. Liverpool were twice behind and twice dragged themselves level.
Dan Ndoye had given Forest the lead from a Matz Sels long ball, punishing the home back line straight away. The Reds never really took control.
The draw at the City Ground against Tottenham was more flat. Both sides had made poor starts, and neither was able to find a decisive moment.
The summer window did bring something tangible down the right side. Daniel Munoz was confirmed on 31 August 2026 from Crystal Palace for 26 million euros.
The Colombia full-back signed a three-year deal, with an option for a further year. His arrival comes as Forest try to add more punch in attack.
Goalkeeper recruitment also kept the club’s board busy right up to the deadline. At the end of August, Marca named Giorgi Mamardashvili among Forest’s stated targets.
Forest also trimmed the squad by loaning Omari Hutchinson to AC Milan, on the basis of a verbal agreement reached at the end of August. The group heading to Birmingham is still very much a work in progress.
The trip to Villa Park pits 16th against 17th in the league. Just one point separates the two sides before kick-off.
Probable Aston Villa line-up: Not available at the time of publication.
Probable Nottingham Forest line-up: Not available at the time of publication.
Premier League prediction Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Our prediction: Under 2.5 goals in the match
Aston Villa have failed to score a single goal in three league matches. Nothing else matters quite as much when reading this fixture.
Nottingham Forest did find the net at Anfield, but their last game ended in a drab draw at the City Ground. Two points from three games says plenty about their lack of cutting edge.
Two blunt attacks, the same need for points and neither side in a position to go all out: this should stay low-scoring at Villa Park.
in your pocket.
Real-time notifications & alerts
_________
First, a word on our free predictions
- What we publish on mathodds is analysis, nothing more. It’s an opinion, a current read of the situation, but never a guarantee. Sport is what it is: unpredictable. A red card, an injury, a goal from nowhere… and the whole script changes.
- Let’s be clear: there is no risk-free bet. Even when something looks obvious, it never really is. And yes, that means you can lose. In fact, you will at some point.
- The best approach is to keep it sensible. Bet small, set a budget and stick to it. Above all, do not touch money you need to live on. And never chase losses; that rarely ends well.
- A bet should stay a bit of fun, not a job or a source of income. If it starts to take over your day, annoys you or puts you under pressure, take a break. And if needed, speak to a specialist group. That’s what they’re there for.
- In the end, responsibility is yours. Reading our content means accepting that risk exists and will never disappear, even with the best analysis in the world.
- Essential reminder: betting is illegal for minors and must follow the law in your country. Gambling can spiral quickly (money losses, family tension, addiction). Need Help? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. In the UK? Visit https://www.gambleaware.org/https://www.gambleaware.org/.
No commitment from us
Our predictions are not a contract. They have no legal force. In plain terms: you cannot use them to claim anything if a bet loses.
Information that can change
A prediction is always based on what we know when it is written. But in the meantime, a team sheet changes (like Aston Villa’s for example), a player gets injured, the weather turns… and the analysis can quickly become outdated. We cannot be held responsible for that.
Your role
Before betting, make sure betting is legal where you are. If it is not, that is your responsibility, not ours.
Responsible gambling first
We cannot say it enough: bet in moderation. If you struggle to stay in control, do not wait to seek help. We cannot be responsible for compulsive or excessive use of the information published on the site.
Legal age
mathodds content is for adults only. By browsing here, you confirm that you are of legal age to bet.
About the images…
The Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest images and logos on mathodds, including those linked to the Premier League, are used only to illustrate our articles. They do not mean we have any official link with a federation or sports organisation, and we do not claim any rights over them.
Those rights belong to the original creators. If, despite our care, any image causes a problem, contact us: it will be removed without delay.
Our only aim with these images is to make the reading experience better. Nothing more. No commercial gain, no taking credit for someone else’s work.
Leave a Reply