Nottingham Forest travel to Aston Villa on Wednesday with Aitor Karanka’s side hoping to force their way into the Championship playoff positions.
Dean Smith’s impact is starting to take shape at Aston Villa.
After a mixed start to life under the former Brentford manager, Villa thrashed Derby County 3-0 before the international break before edging Midland rivals Birmingham City 4-2 in Sunday’s Second City derby.
But a home clash against a strong Nottingham Forest side threatens to stunt the progress they have made under Smith – especially with Joe Lolley in terrific form.
The lively winger has been arguably Forest’s star performer this season and scored his fifth goal of the campaign in a Man of the Match display against Hull City at the weekend. And Lolley will be determined to make an impression on Wednesday night as he is, after all, a boyhood Villa fanatic.
“I’ve followed the club all my life so if I play, or come on from the bench, or even if it’s just looking up from the pitch at the Holte End where I used to sit, it will be massive for me,” Lolley told the Birmingham Mail in 2016 as he prepared to travel to Villa with his Huddersfield Town team.
The 26-year-old, who actually represented Birmingham City at academy level, could be the biggest obstacle Aston Villa face as they aim to win for the for the fourth straight Championship game under Smith tonight.
Villa looked shaky at the back against Birmingham at times and Lolley’s direct running and ability to strike the ball accurately from range should keep the hosts’ defence on their toes – or he could be celebrating a goal in the stadium where he spent much of his childhood.
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