Nottingham Forest vs Aston Villa LIVE: Team news and updates as English clubs clash in Europa League semi-final | OneFootball

Nottingham Forest host Aston Villa in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final (Getty)

Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa

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Flo Clifford30 April 2026 19:35

Premier League relegation battle: Do Tottenham, West Ham, Nottingham Forest or Leeds have the best run-in?

Tottenham are staring down the barrel of the unthinkable: relegation from the Premier League. Callum Wilson snatched a 92nd-minute winner at the London Stadium to ensure West Ham beat Everton 2-1, keeping Tottenham in the bottom three for now. They remain two points clear of the drop zone.

Leeds have pulled clear of the relegation zone after back-to-back victories against Manchester United and Wolves and a draw away at Bournemouth, while Nottingham Forest scored a huge 5-0 win at Sunderland on Friday evening.

Wolves have long been destined for the drop and had their demotion confirmed last Monday. They have now been joined by Burnley after the Clarets fell to a 1-0 loss at home to Manchester City to confirm their return to the Championship.

With Wolves and Burnley both relegated, here’s how the rest of the crucial relegation run-in is shaping up.

Flo Clifford30 April 2026 19:27

Premier League has clinched fifth Champions League spot - but could get another

The Premier League could boast six clubs in the Champions League for a second season running if all the right pieces fall into place.

The extra fifth place was sealed after Arsenal reached the Champions League quarter-finals. It is the second consecutive year that the Premier League has earned an additional spot, with the English top flight at the top of the European Performance Standings (EPS).

Last term saw an unprecedented six English clubs qualify for the Champions League; five by their league position, and with Tottenham earning their place in the league phase after winning the Europa League.

The same could happen again this term, with the Premier League appearing as one of the more prominent beneficiaries to the competition’s expansion to 36 teams that came into effect at the beginning of 2024/25.

Flo Clifford30 April 2026 19:20

Nottingham Forest produce ‘Champions League level’ display to close in on safety

Vitor Pereira challenged Nottingham Forest to play “Champions League” football before watching them romp to a 5-0 victory at Sunderland to ease themselves closer to Premier League safety.

Will that show them in good stead tonight?

Nottingham Forest produce ‘Champions League level’ display to close in on safety

Forest thrashed Sunderland 5-0 to move eight points clear of Tottenham.

Flo Clifford30 April 2026 19:13

Unai Emery: 'I want to write a new chapter'

Four-time Europa League winner Unai Emery says: “I have my own experiences before in this competition and different momentum as well.

“But it is completely different. In football, everything you have done before, though it may be fantastic, it's done.

“Now it is a new chapter and I want to write a new chapter here. The most important experiences are the ones we have here together.

“Our experiences are a semi-final in the Conference League, quarter-final in the Champions League.

“We must try to learn with our experiences, to respond better than we did.”

Unai Emery has won four Europa League titles, including three in a row with Sevilla (Getty)

Flo Clifford30 April 2026 19:06

Aston Villa line-up

Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konas, Pau Torres, Digne, Tielemans, Onana, McGinn, Buendia, Rogers, Watkins

Substitutes: Bizot, Wright, Bogarde, Maatsen, Lindelof, Mings, Garcia, Luiz, Bailey, Elliott, Sancho, Abraham

Flo Clifford30 April 2026 18:47

Fulham boost European hopes by beating Champions League-chasing Aston Villa

But Villa have a point to prove after defeat last time out:

Fulham boosted their hopes of European qualification as Ryan Sessegnon’s first-half goal earned them a 1-0 win over a lacklustre Aston Villa at Craven Cottage.

It was only a second win in six Premier League games for Marco Silva’s side, whose inconsistency may yet put a top-seven finish beyond their reach, but in glorious conditions and backed by a vociferous crowd, they showed the heights they are capable of reaching.

Flo Clifford30 April 2026 18:45