It's been a good week and things feel a little like they are getting back to how we would like normal to be. That said, a trip to Nottingham Forest is going to be a tough. Possibly the toughest match we've had in a while.
And it's not just because they're above us in the League, although it plays a part. It's that they're above us in fifth having almost the same form as us. They've lost three of the last six and they're still fifth. This means it's not a recent run of form.
And none of us should be surprised. Nuno is a very decent manager and he will have them in Europe soon, if not this season.
But we also have a very decent manager that got us Europe in his first half season. And our players are starting to understand what is required to keep that up, so one would think that we will continue our little run that we are on.
And if either one of us wins today, there is a good chance we'll finish the weekend in the fourth because Manchester City seem to be on a run that looks like it's never going to end.
Right, that written, we just have to wait and see but one question I've just thought of is why are we playing today when our next match is next Saturday? I mean, we played midweek, why isn't this game scheduled for Sunday? I understand if you play on Tuesday, you play Saturday but it's not a rule is it.
I mean, one extra day would have only benefitted and English side in the Premier League. I know, I'm looking for something to be grumpy about. I'll now go play my weekend bet before heading into town. I've been promised a pub afternoon if I'm good, so I'll be watching from a bar with hot wings and Guinness.
Match facts from the BBC
Head-to-head
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Nottingham Forest have only won two of the past 18 meetings in all competitions, latterly by 2-0 at home in the Premier League 13 months ago (D7, L9).
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However, Aston Villa are winless in five Premier League visits to Forest, drawing four of them, since a 2-1 triumph in January 1995.
Nottingham Forest
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This is Nottingham Forest's 5,000th league fixture - they are the 12th English club to reach this landmark.
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Nuno Espirito Santo's side have won seven of 15 league matches this season – Forest's eighth victory last term came in their 36th outing.
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They have won three of their past four home league games, as many as in their previous 17 – all-but three of which came under Espirito Santo.
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Forest have opened the scoring in a league-high 12 matches in 2024-25.
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Chris Wood has scored 10 Premier League goals this season, one more than the rest of the Forest squad combined.
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His tally of 17 top-flight goals in 2024 is the highest by a Forest player in a calendar year since 1987, when Nigel Clough scored 19.
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All four of Wood's goals in his six league starts against Aston Villa were scored from the 79th minute onwards and were the final goal of the game.
Aston Villa
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They have earned three successive victories in all competitions, as many as in their previous 13 matches.
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However, Villa are winless in their past four top-flight fixtures directly following a Champions League game (D2, L2).
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A fourth successive Premier League away defeat would equal their longest such streak since returning to the top flight in 2019. They lost four in a row in 2022 under Steven Gerrard.
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Aston Villa have lost all three league matches without scoring this season against teams above them in the table prior to this weekend.
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They are vying to keep successive Premier League clean sheets for the first time in a year.
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Jhon Duran is one short of equalling the Premier League record of seven goals scored by a substitute in a calendar year. Four players share the record.
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Duran has made all but four of his 50 Premier League appearances as a substitute.