Unai Emery speaks on important Nottingham test for Aston Villa | OneFootball

Saturday poses a massive test for Aston Villa. They face a strong Nottingham Forest side that is proving to be difficult for everyone in the Premier League. Nuno Espírito Santo's men are tough to break down, and they are extremely clinical when they do get their chances.

For Unai Emery, this EPL fixture is important to get a result after coming off two big performances following the international break. After defeating Preston North End and Brighton, the squad should be feeling confident in their abilities at this time of the season.

A late push to finish the campaign can still see Villa qualify for a Champions League spot, and AVFC is still in contention for a trophy. Naturally, getting three points here would be important, but it's more important to play well.

Especially against a Forest team that can often find ways to squeeze out results, the final scoreline may not tell the entire story after this weekend. The Spanish manager will want to see his men approach the match with a free spirit and not like a group that is playing to not lose.

This shift can be very difficult for a coach to instill within his players. Early returns from the past games, however, show that this transition is beginning to happen. Not only is there a lot of quality on the roster, but the pieces are seemingly gelling together and putting together strong collective outings.

Words from Aston Villa boss

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Emery spoke on what he is looking for against Nottingham. He knows how good they have been and shared his assessment of the side:

From Emery's comments, it's clear that this will be an enormous test. In order to preserve the home unbeaten streak, Aston Villa will need to match the ferocity and industriousness of Forest. Getting a win is possible, but they can't afford a letdown against a team that does well at capitalizing on the mistakes of others.