Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest meet in a Europa League semi-final second leg that could hinge on the form and fitness of two playmakers both named Morgan. For Villa, Morgan Rogers has endured a difficult run of form, while Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White is battling a facial injury that threatens his participation in Thursday's match at Villa Park.
Gibbs-White suffered a deep cut to his forehead during Forest's 5-0 win at Chelsea on Monday, but manager Vitor Pereira confirmed there are no concussion concerns. "It's a big question … I really don't know," Pereira said when asked if the 26-year-old would be fit. "[He is in] pain for sure … we will see until tomorrow if he is able to play or not." Gibbs-White has scored five goals and provided two assists in his last five games, underlining his importance to Forest's late-season resurgence.
Meanwhile, Morgan Rogers has seen his output drop after a bright start to the campaign. He has managed only two goals and two assists in his last 15 appearances. The midfielder appeared weary in the first leg, when Elliot Anderson nutmegged him at the City Ground. Villa manager Unai Emery, who has won the Europa League four times, played down his team's trophy chances before the second leg. "It's not a defeat if we do not achieve a trophy," Emery said. "We have 50 per cent or maybe less to play the final."
Villa enter the match on a three-game losing streak, including a 1-0 first-leg defeat to Forest. Emery made seven changes for Sunday's loss to Tottenham, visibly prioritising the European fixture. Forest, under fourth manager Vitor Pereira this season, are on a five-game winning run and unbeaten in 10. The winner will face Braga or Freiburg in the Istanbul final on 20 May, a once-in-a-generation opportunity for two clubs who last reached continental finals in the early 1980s.
