Why Nottingham Forest rushed Ola Aina back as Super Eagles star starts against Aston Villa

The bold call to start rather than ease the Nigerian international into action reveals both Forest's desperate need for his quality and the manager's confidence in Aina's readiness for Premier League intensity.

Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche has explained his bold decision to hand Ola Aina an immediate return to the starting lineup against Aston Villa, backing the Super Eagles defender to handle the intensity of Premier League football after a four-month injury nightmare.

The 29-year-old Nigerian international makes his first competitive start since September 2025, when a severe hamstring injury sustained on international duty forced him to undergo surgery and subsequently miss 23 matches for Forest. 

His return comes at a crucial juncture, with Forest fighting to climb away from the relegation zone under their new manager.

Speaking to Premier League ahead of Saturday's early kick-off at Villa Park, Dyche confirmed the decisive selection call.

"It is one in, one out, unfortunately. Ola Aina is back in," the Forest boss explained. "He's put in loads of miles on the clock on the training pitch. Game time is the next step, but it is good to have him back."

The decision represents a calculated gamble by Dyche, who has opted to start rather than ease Aina back into action from the bench. 

The right-back's prolonged absence, which also forced him to miss Nigeria's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations campaign, means he hasn't experienced competitive Premier League football since the autumn, making Saturday's fixture a significant test of both his physical readiness and match sharpness.

However, Forest's desperate need for his quality and experience appears to have outweighed concerns about rushing him back. 

The club has carefully managed Aina's rehabilitation, including two appearances for the Under-21 side totalling 153 minutes, designed to build the match fitness Dyche referenced.

Aina's return comes against an Aston Villa side carrying their own pressures and motivation. Villa are unbeaten in their last six Premier League home fixtures against Forest, winning the previous five consecutively. Their last defeat to Forest at Villa Park came back in October 1994 during Ron Atkinson's tenure, 30 years ago.

The tactical battle adds another dimension to Aina's comeback. Villa's attacking threat, particularly down the flanks, will provide an immediate examination of whether the Nigerian international can rediscover his defensive sharpness and positional awareness after such an extended layoff.

For Aina personally, the match represents more than just a club return. Having missed Nigeria's AFCON campaign through injury, the defender will be eager to prove his fitness ahead of future international windows and re-establish himself in the Super Eagles setup.

Forest's precarious league position makes his availability crucial. Dyche, appointed in October as the club's third manager of the season following the dismissals of Nuno Espírito Santo and Ange Postecoglou, has been tasked with stabilising the side and ensuring Premier League survival. 

The experienced manager clearly believes Aina's Premier League pedigree and international experience can make an immediate impact, even if match fitness remains a work in progress.

Dyche's confidence in throwing Aina straight back into the starting lineup suggests the defender has impressed sufficiently during training to warrant the risk. 

The former Everton and Burnley boss knows the value of experienced defenders in relegation battles, and Aina's return provides much-needed depth and quality to a backline that has struggled for consistency this season.

Whether that faith is rewarded will become clear over the course of 90 minutes at Villa Park, where Forest will hope their returning defender can help them end Villa's long unbeaten home run in this fixture and secure three vital points in their survival fight.

As Dyche succinctly put it: "He's back." Now Aina must prove he's ready for the battle ahead.