Rejuvenated and returning to top form in the build-up to Christmas, Aston Villa seek a fourth straight win in all competitions when they lock horns with Nottingham Forest in Saturday evening's Premier League showdown at the City Ground.

Match preview

Achieving as many wins in their last three matches as they had managed in their previous 12 beforehand, Aston Villa took the lead twice at the Red Bull Arena in Tuesday's meeting with Leipzig, and twice they were pegged back through Lois Openda and Christoph Baumgartner.

However, the third time was the charm for Unai Emery's men, as Ross Barkley slipped when he let fly from distance in the 85th minute but saw his strike creep into the bottom corner to strengthen the Lions' hopes of automatic qualification for the last 16.

A return to triumphant ways on the continent was the natural next step to a Premier League revival for Villa, who boast back-to-back wins against Southampton and Brentford from their most recent pair of top-flight affairs; the 3-1 success over the Saints snapped a horrendous eight-game run without victory in any competition.

Still very much in the mix for Champions League football amid their renaissance, the Lions occupy sixth place in the Premier League rankings, only adrift of their upcoming foes on goal difference and within touching distance of champions-in-crisis Manchester City in the final Champions League spot.

After coming up trumps on Leipzig's turf, Villa now bid to avoid an unwanted first on the road; following losses to Tottenham Hotspur (4-1), Chelsea (3-0) and Liverpool (2-0), they could suffer four straight top-flight defeats on the road by a margin of two goals or more for the first time in the Premier League era.

Also revelling in their own astonishing five-goal success on rival territory, Nottingham Forest's trip to the Theatre of Dreams last weekend saw Santo's men capitalise on the Red Devils' error-strewn display, as the Forest coach won the battle of the Portuguese bosses with Ruben Amorim.

Man United's defence were only too happy to gift out presents on Chris Wood's birthday, as the New Zealand international's 10th Premier League goal of the season - and record-breaking 25th in Forest colours - put the seal on an exceptional performance.

Also revelling in their own astonishing five-goal success on rival territory, Nottingham Forest's trip to the Theatre of Dreams last weekend saw Santo's men capitalise on the Red Devils' error-strewn display, as the Forest coach won the battle of the Portuguese bosses with Ruben Amorim.

Man United's defence were only too happy to gift out presents on Chris Wood's birthday, as the New Zealand international's 10th Premier League goal of the season - and record-breaking 25th in Forest colours - put the seal on an exceptional performance.

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