Nottingham Forest take a 1-0 lead to Villa Park for the Europa League semi-final second leg, and they do so with momentum behind them. Aston Villa need to overturn that deficit after three straight defeats in all competitions, while Forest have won each of their last five games and have not lost since March 12.

Forest arrive with the cleaner form

The first leg was settled by Chris Wood's 71st-minute penalty, according to one report, although another source credits Forest with the advantage without specifying the scorer. Either way, Forest hold the lead and they have earned the right to feel comfortable with the tie state.

Wood is in decent touch too. He has scored two goals in four UEFA Europa League appearances this season, and his five most recent recorded appearances have all ended in Forest wins. That is not a small detail in a second leg like this, especially with the striker already delivering in knockout football.

Villa's problem is more basic. Three defeats on the spin is not the sort of run you want before a home semi-final, even if [Unai Emery] is still being backed to get a result in the competition overall. They need a sharper performance than they produced in the first leg, and they need it quickly.

Why the tie still feels tight

This is not a closed contest. Villa are at home, and [Vítor Pereira] will know that a single goal can swing the entire tone of the second leg. Villa Park also staged a 3-1 Aston Villa win over Forest in January, though that result is only background here, not a guide to what comes next.

Forest's case is built on form, not just the scoreline. Five straight wins in all competitions and an unbeaten run since March 12 give them real stability, and Chris Wood's output gives them a forward who is already comfortable in this competition. Villa still have a route back into the tie, but Forest have arrived with the more convincing recent record and the lead that matters most.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 9 outlets. How we work →