Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest: Europa League Betting Tips & Best Bets

The Europa League semi-final second legs are here, and so are our best Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest betting tips and predictions ahead of Thursday's all-Premier League clash.

With one game standing between them and a European final, Forest and Villa will both fancy their chances of progressing.

The first leg saw Forest take a narrow, 1-0 victory thanks to Chris Wood's 71st-minute penalty at the City ground.

Vitor Pereira has transformed his side in recent weeks, with their current unbeaten run stretching to 10 in all competitions. That form has lifted Forest well clear of relegation from the Premier League, and taken them to the brink of the Europa League final.

Villa, meanwhile, are fifth in the Premier League, but have lost their last three games. Unai Emery's side will be hoping for an end to their recent dip in form if they are to avoid falling out of the Champions League places.

If that does happen, they will need to rely on winning the Europa League to give them another route back into Europe's top club competition

Odds taken from Betnero at 11:30 UK time, on Thursday, 7 May 2026.

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Prediction

Ahead of this one, Aston Villa are strong favourites with most UK betting sites. Villa are priced at around 1.71, while Forest are heavy underdogs at 4.75.

However, the form table tells a different story. Forest's long unbeaten run, including winning the first leg, suggests they will enter this one with every confidence of taking the win.

Villa's recent wobble will also have damaged their confidence. The pair have been quite evenly matched in recent meetings, with five Villa wins, three Forest wins, and two draws in their last ten games.

But when they have met at Villa Park, the hosts have dominated, with seven wins and three draws from the previous ten.

Forest have not won at Villa since 1994, meaning Thursday's venue is not a happy hunting ground.

We therefore think this should be a tight and closely contested affair, that could well end in a draw.

Our Prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest Betting Tips

Below, we have picked out our top three Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest betting tips ahead of Thursday night's game.

Draw & Both Teams To Score - 4.75

With the two sides finely balanced on paper, a draw feels like a very possible outcome.

Given that this would be enough for Forest to win the tie, thanks to their one-goal aggregate lead, the visitors are likely to shut up shop as best they can.

This could see a tight and low-scoring affair, but we do feel both teams will score. Forest have failed to score just once in their last seven trips to Villa, despite not winning any of those games.

Ollie Watkins First Goalscorer - 5.50

Next, Villa striker Ollie Watkins is our pick to be the first goalscorer.

The 30-year-old England international has struggled with injuries, but looks back to near his best this season.

With 15 goals in all competitions, he is one of Villa's most potent attacking weapons and a great option to be the first goalscorer on Thursday night.

Watkins currently has odds of 5.50 to net the opener at Villa Park. This makes backing him a potentially lucrative bet if he does deliver against Forest.

Both Teams 2+ Bookings Each - 4.25

Finally, we feel there is a strong chance of a few yellow cards being shown at Villa Park.

There is no love lost between these two close Midlands rivals, with plenty of history. Add this to the tension and stakes of a Europa League semi-final, and we could see tempers flare.

If the game is still tight in the closing stages, expect to see both sides flying into tackles and picking up bookings.