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Nottingham Forest will try to start their climb from the bottom of the English Premier League table when they host Aston Villa on Monday at City Ground. Forest (1-1-6) have lost five straight matches, the most recent a humiliating 4-0 loss to 19th-place Leicester City. The Tricky Trees moved back up to the Premier League before this season after a 14-year absence, but they are in last place despite a big spending spree this summer. Aston Villa (2-2-4) have had some serious problems of their own, and manager Steven Gerrard is on a very hot seat. They seem to be trending upward, going unbeaten in their past three (1-2-0).

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists Aston Villa as +105 favorites (risk $100 to win $105) in the latest Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa odds. Nottingham Forest are the +270 underdogs, a draw is priced at +240 and the over/under for total goals is 2.5. Before making any Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa picks, be sure to see the EPL predictions from SportsLine's Martin Green. 

After working in the sports betting industry for several years, Green became a professional sports writer and handicapper and has covered the game worldwide. Since then, his European soccer picks have been stunningly accurate. Green has generated almost $33,000 for $100 bettors since the 2017-18 season, and he has hit seven of his past 10 EPL picks. He has his finger on the pulse of the game all over the globe.

Now, Green has broken down Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest from every angle. You can head to SportsLine to see his picks. Here are the betting lines and trends for Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa:

  • Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa spread: Villas -0.5 (+110)
  • Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa over/under: 2.5 goals
  • Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa money line: Forest +270, Villa +105, Draw +240
  • NF: Taiwo Awoniyi had 20 goals over the past two seasons at Union Berlin
  • AVL: Danny Ings has 42 league goals since the start of the 2019-20 season
  • Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why you should back Aston Villa

The Villans know they are playing for their manager's job, and they seemed to have found a spark before the weak performance against Leeds. Still, they outshot the Peacocks 19-6 (7-1 on target) and held the ball for 57% of the game. They should find even more success against Forest, who have conceded 18 goals during their five-game losing streak. The Villa attackers are due to break out, including Ollie Watkins, who scored 11 goals in 2021-22.

Danny Ings scored seven and had six assists and Emiliano Buendia had four and set up six. All three have scored once. The defense has been far superior to Forest's, conceding 10 goals  and allowing less than 12 shots per game, while the Tricky Trees concede almost 17. Forest are putting 23.6% of their shots on target, worst in the league. Villa lead the league in fouls (118) and Forest are one of six teams over 100, so this is bound to be a pretty physical match.

Why you should back Nottingham Forest

The Tricky Trees signed a bevy of talented players this summer, but manager Steve Cooper has needed time to find the right fits and tactics. He just signed a new contract, and the team is sure to start showing some urgency to get out of the relegation zone. Five of its six goals have come at home, four over the past two games at City Ground. Taiwo Awoniyi (two goals), Brennan Johnson (two), Emmanuel Dennis and Jesse Lingard all are capable of moments of brilliance.

Cooper could go back to a more conservative approach against a Villa team that has also struggled to score, letting the offense come on counter-attacks. Forest allowed 40 goals in 46 matches, second-fewest in the Championship last season, and key defenders Joe Worrall, Scott McKenna and Steve Cook remain. All three have three yellow cards already, and the Tricky Trees lead the EPL in bookings. That physical style in the back could frustrate the Villans.  

How to make Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa picks

Green has taken an in-depth look at the Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest match from every angle, and he is leaning Over on the goal total. He also provides his three confident best bets, two of them offering plus money, and has his full breakdown. He's only sharing those picks here.

So, who wins Nottingham Forest vs. Aston Villa? And where does all the betting value lie? Visit SportsLine now to see the best bets for Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest, all from the European soccer expert who has generated almost $33,000 for $100 bettors over the past four seasons.