Mbaye starts, Manzambi on the bench

Aston Villa host Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on Saturday as Unai Emery’s side look to build some momentum following Tuesday’s win in Brugge.

Emery has made no secret of the size of the task he expects this weekend, with Forest having shown they are capable of causing problems for the division’s bigger sides.

“I am expecting a very difficult match,” the Villa boss said in his pre-match press conference. “90 minutes playing consistently from our gameplan and resilience when we need it. And trying to improve things, adapt to them and compete in the way we need – while respecting Nottingham Forest as a team and respecting his coaching.”

Matty Cash and Johan Manzambi are facing late fitness tests while Leon Goretzka, Brian Madjo and Amadou Onana are alll sidelined, but who will get the nod?

Defence

Zion Suzuki, Matty Cash, Victor Lindelof, Tyrone Mings, Ian Maatsen

Suzuki continues in goal for Villa, and we think Emery will stick with Cash if he can pass through his late fitness concern. In the middle, Lindelof has played every minute of action so far this season and is clearly favoured by the manager.

With Forest capable of hurting sides on the counter, having experience and organisation across the back line will be crucial, which sees Mings return to the XI in place of Pau Torres, who registered two assists during the win at Brugge.

Maatsen is the obvious choice to keep his place at left-back, with the former Chelsea man making the position his own since the departure of Lucas Digne.

Midfield

Boubacar Kamara, Ross Barkley, John McGinn, Emi Buendia, Ibrahim Mbaye

Emery is expected to set his side up in a 4-2-3-1 shape, dropping into more of a 4-5-1 without the ball, with Kamara and Barkley screening the back four while McGinn’s energy and know-how offers control further forward.

The Scotland star got himself on the scoresheet in the Champions League with a fine curling strike and is preferred to Manzambi, with the Swiss star’s injury leaving little chance of being thrown straight in for a full debut.

Buendia and new signing Mbaye provide the width and creativity in behind the striker, with both capable of drifting inside to link play, while McGinn’s willingness to get beyond the opposition’s midfield line gives Villa a runner from deep as an added outlet.

Attack

Nicolas Jackson

REUTERS/Maurice Van Steen

Jackson leads the line as Villa’s central striker, with his pace in behind offering an outlet against a Forest defence that will likely sit in a mid-to-low block and look to spring forward themselves on the counter.

With Buendia, Barkley and Mbaye all capable of feeding him in the channels, Jackson’s movement could be key to unlocking a well-organised Forest backline over the course of the 90 minutes, having found his first goal in Villa colours in midweek.