Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa team news: Unai Emery makes surprise defensive change for City Ground showdown

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has made two changes to his starting lineup for Sunday's Premier League fixture against Nottingham Forest.

Having gone full-strength for Thursday's 3-1 win at Bologna, Emery was always likely to make alterations for the trip to the City Ground.

However, the Spaniard has made fewer alterations than expected, as well as choosing to keep Ollie Watkins down the centre of the attack.

Victor Lindelof has been recalled in place of Ezri Konsa, who fails to start a Premier League game for just the second time in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, Ross Barkley starts in central midfield. That decision is less of a surprise due to the Englishman not being eligible to play in the Europa League.

Rather than Youri Tielemans being rested after his recent return from injury, it is Emiliano Buendia who drops down to the substitutes' bench.

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Pereira reverts to full-strength Nottingham Forest XI against Aston Villa

As for Nottingham Forest, Vitor Pereira has gone back to his first-choice XI after making wholesale changes for the 1-1 draw in Porto on Thursday.

Elliot Anderson is available to return in midfield after serving a one-match Europa League suspension earlier this week.

After making his return from a knee injury in Portugal, Chris Wood is selected among the replacements.

Omari Hutchinson and Callum Hudson-Odoi get the nod over Dan Ndoye and Dilane Bakwa on the flanks.

Nottingham Forest XI: Sels; Aina, Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams; Sangare, Anderson; Hutchinson, Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi; Jesus

Subs: Ortega, Morato, Wood, Ndoye, Dominguez, Yates, McAtee, Netz, Bakwa

Aston Villa XI: Martinez; Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Digne; Barkley, Onana, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers; Watkins

Subs: Bizot, Konsa, Buendia, Garcia, Abraham, Luiz, Maatsen, Bogarde, Bailey