Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest: Unai Emery targets first win against coaching nemesis

As Villa target their first Premier League win of the season, Oliver Glasner must be the last man Unai Emery wants to see in the opposing dugout.

To Emery, the new Nottingham Forest boss currently represents his coaching nemesis, the rival he has faced the most without tasting victory.

In seven matches against Emery when in charge of Crystal Palace, Glasner recorded five wins and two draws, the overall aggregate score reading 19-4 in the Austrian’s favour.

It is the manner of the results which is particularly striking.

The 5-0 defeat Villa suffered at Selhurst Park on the final day of the 2023-24 season, which came after the visiting players had spent the previous days celebrating after securing Champions League qualification, should really be stricken from the record.

Yet the 3-0 loss to Palace in the 2025 FA Cup semi-final and the London club’s win by the same scoreline at Villa Park early last season rank among the lowest days of Emery’s reign.

For all the success he has achieved and all the difficulties he has overcome, games against Glasner and his three-at-the-back system have consistently been a puzzle the Spaniard has struggled to crack.

With Villa still seeking their first goal of the campaign and at the start of a huge rebuild, Saturday would be the perfect time to begin changing the record. Forest themselves arrive winless in four matches under their new boss.

“We definitely need three points in that one,” remarked Matty Cash in the aftermath of last weekend’s 0-0 draw at Hull, a comment which underlined the growing sense of urgency to get the season finally up and running.

Tuesday’s 3-2 win at Club Brugge will have lifted spirits but as Emery continually stresses, the Premier League will always be his top priority and while another slow start might be understandable, considering the scale of summer change, it is no less frustrating for a manager who is used to winning more often than not.

What has been clear during the opening weeks of the season is how much Emery has been leaning on the old guard.

Injuries to Johan Manzambi and Leon Goretzka, coupled with the three-match ban picked up by Joao Gomes less than 40 minutes into the campaign, means the revamp is something of a slow burn.

Manzambi, who has been recovering from a knee injury sustained while playing for Switzerland at the World Cup, could be involved for the first time on Saturday. Goretzka, however, is out until next month, while deadline day signings Ibrahim Mbaye and Taylor Harwood-Bellis are yet to see any action. The latter has so far not even been included in a matchday squad.

Glasner’s good run against Emery is not the only thing of note heading into Saturday’s match. Villa’s record at home against Forest is impressive and they are currently on a five-match winning streak which includes May’s 4-0 Europa League semi-final second leg triumph.

Forest’s last win in B6 came nearly 32 years ago when a Stuart Pearce penalty and Steve Stone goal earned them a 2-0 victory.

Villa will hope it is that form - and not Glasner’s against Emery - which continues on Saturday.