Aston Villa lineup vs. Nottingham Forest: Predicted XI for Europa League semi-final first leg

Aston Villa are sweating implicit the fittingness of Amadou Onana up of Thursday’s Europa League semi-final first-leg clash with Nottingham Forest astatine the City Ground.

The midfielder was near retired of the Lions squad that suffered a 1-0 Premier League decision to Fulham past weekend, and caput manager Unai Emery is unsure whether the Belgian volition beryllium disposable for selection.

Fellow midfielder Boubacar Kamara (knee) remains a semipermanent absentee, portion January signing Alysson is inactive dealing with a fittingness contented and is not expected to diagnostic this week.

Emery has already suggested that Lamare Bogarde volition proceed successful centre-midfield alongside Youri Tielemans if Onana is not acceptable to start, though ex-Forest antheral Douglas Luiz and Ross Barkley are 2 much options astatine his disposal.

Should Emery opt to freshen up his defence, Ian Maatsen and Tyrone Mings could regenerate Lucas Dinge and Pau Torres to commencement alongside Ezri Konsa and Matty Cash successful a four-man backline successful beforehand of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Jadon Sancho and Emiliano Buendia volition proceed to conflict for a commencement connected the near flank, arsenic John McGinn plays connected the close broadside of midfield and Morgan Rogers operates successful an precocious cardinal relation down Ollie Watkins, who has scored 3 goals successful his past 2 Europa League distant games.

Aston Villa imaginable starting lineup: Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Bogarde, Tielemans; McGinn, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins

> Click present to spot however Nottingham Forest could enactment up against Aston Villa