Aston Villa aims to narrow the gap to Nottingham Forest to just six points as they face off at Villa Park on Saturday evening in the Premier League.
Unai Emery's team convincingly defeated Brighton 3-0 at the AMEX Stadium to climb to seventh place. Forest also secured a victory by beating Manchester United 1-0 at the City Ground.
The last encounter between the two sides ended in a 2-1 victory for Forest in December, setting the stage for what should be an intense match on Saturday.
Team news
Villa's midfielder Ross Barkley is the only injury concern with a calf problem, while Ollie Watkins is working towards full fitness after starting on the bench in the previous game.
Emery might opt to stick with the same starting lineup, with loanee Marcus Rashford in good form recently.
Forest's striker Chris Wood is once again uncertain for selection due to a hip injury, although midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has recovered from a knock to feature in the last match.
The stats
Villa has won their last six matches, keeping clean sheets in five of those games.
Emery's side has suffered just one defeat in their last 11 outings and remains unbeaten in 16 consecutive home games.
Forest is unbeaten in their past six matches across all competitions, which includes two FA Cup victories via penalty shootouts.
Nuno Espirito Santo's team boasts the third-best away record in the Premier League, accumulating 26 points from 15 away fixtures.
Prediction
The outcome of Saturday's game could have a significant impact on the race for European qualification, with both teams aiming to maintain their current good form.
Despite the absence of Wood, Forest has shown resilience by reaching the FA Cup semi-finals and defeating Manchester United.
Forest have narrowly clinched victories in their recent games, displaying great spirit, but they may face a tougher challenge against Villa.
Villa's midfield quality could prove decisive in finding the net, especially with Asensio, Malen, and Rashford contributing to their recent success.
Both teams are expected to be evenly matched, but Villa holds a slight advantage in what is a crucial game for both sides.