Morgan Rogers and Morgan Gibbs-White will be among the danger men as Aston Villa take on Nottingham Forest in an all-English Europa League semi-final. It is eight years since these two sides played out a Championship classic, a 5-5 draw at Villa Park where Tammy Abraham scored four goals. John McGinn was also in the Villa side, and Matty Cash scored to give Forest a 3-2 lead before Lewis Grabban equalised. This is the first top-flight meeting between the teams this millennium, and it highlights Villa's stability under Unai Emery.
Eight of Villa's starting XI from a 1-1 draw three and a half years ago could start on Thursday at the City Ground. This is the first major European semi-final between English sides since Manchester United beat Arsenal in the Champions League in 2009. Ollie Watkins, who has scored double figures in each of his six seasons at Villa, believes his recent England omission restored the "fire in his belly." He said: "We have been through thick and thin together. The team is pretty much the same as when Dean Smith was here, apart from a few good additions. We can always count on each other."
Emery's Transformative Impact
Unai Emery has been given complete autonomy at Villa, and his structure has been crucial to their rise. Damian Vidagany, the director of football, and Roberto Olabe, president of football operations, were hand-picked by Emery, who is hunting a record fifth Europa League title. Forest, meanwhile, have cycled through four managers in nine months, but Vítor Pereira has been a masterstroke. Premier League survival is in sight, and the Europa League final in Istanbul is within reach.
This is Forest's fourth major European semi-final and first since 1984. Pereira said: "I saw the statue of Brian Clough. He did something fantastic that stays in the heart of these people. We will try to emulate what he did." Forest have been liberated in Europe, blowing away Fenerbahce in Pereira's first game and beating Porto in the quarter-finals, with Morgan Gibbs-White scoring the decisive goal.
Forest's Form and Tactics
Forest are unbeaten in eight matches and have scored more goals than anyone in the Premier League since Pereira's arrival in February. Gibbs-White has 10 goals this calendar year, and Chris Wood's return has allowed a shift to a 4-4-2 formation. Villa held Forest to a 1-1 draw earlier this month, with Rogers and Watkins missing chances. Villa are on course for Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons and are in their third straight major semi-final.
Last season, Villa lost to Olympiakos in the Conference League semi-finals and were beaten by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup semi-finals. Captain John McGinn said: "We have that determination to prove this team is worth more than a semi-final. Until we do that, questions will always be asked." Watkins added: "We have hit a new milestone each year. To lift a trophy would be the best season. I have never done it, and I am envious of those who have."
