18 min In the other semi, it’s Braga 1-1 Freiburg. On which point, has anyone seen much of Johan Manzambi, the latter’s midfielder? I’e heard he can be very special.

16 min Another Villa corner, another poor delivery, and Forest clear.

16 min “Great point about Des Walker, says David Acaster. “The best defender in the world under Old Big ‘Ed but an absolute disaster internationally, and at Sampdoria and Wednesday.”

He was great for England at Italia 90, in fairness, but once he went to Sampdoria, the overwhelming memory is off him being burned up by Marc Overmars at Wembley – something that seemed impossible during his time at Forest. John Motson absolutely adored the “You’ll never beat Des Walker” tune.

14 min Forest enjoy their first bit of controlled possession, Villa sitting off in their 4-4-2. That makes sense as Forest are dangerous if there’s space in behind, but they can also cause problems if they feed their wide players with wood attacking the near post.

12 min Forest inject pace into their attack for the first time in a while but Aina doesn’t stop to think, instead swinging in a hopeful cross, which Torres heads away easily enough.

11 min Also going on tonight:

10 min The corner comes to nothing, but Villa look to be taking control of midfield, their extra man making a difference – and with McGinn also joining in, it’s sometimes two.

9 min Hutchinson beats a couple of men as he looks to get his team up the pitch – he’s in nick, you can see it, and Forest need to get him on the ball., But they soon lose it, Villa playing into Watkins, who touches off, and Tielemans hits it … so Ortega tips around the post when really he might’ve held.

8 min Tielemans goes short to Buendia, and the ball goes backwards then across to the right, McGinn crossing deep to the back post where Konsa collects, but really, that was a piece of nonsense. It’s early in the game, people are nervous and the pattern of the game hasn’t been set – get it into the box and attack it.

7 min Lovely touch from Rogers, pulling to the right touchline and flicking around the corner, as Villa build through midfield. They end up with a throw on the left, Digne hurls in, and a miscommunication means Villa win a corner.

5 min One of my favourite things about Cloughie, that I’ll write up one of these days, is how many players were amazing for him but did almost nothing anywhere else. Phil Starbuck, Neil Webb, Garry Birtles, Tommy Gaynor, Nigel Clough, Brian Rice, Des Walker, Roy Keane and so on.

3 min Hutchinson goes at Digne, passes on the outside – there’s that 4-4-2 in action – rides the tackle and crosses, Wood marching on to it, his volley already nestling in the stanchion in his mind’s eye. But Jesus stretches out a leg in front of him, brings the ball down, and the chance vanishes.

2 min McGinn into Watkins, who looks offside, but there’s no flag and he spreads to Rogers, who comes inside into the box, shoots …and Morato blocks.

2 min Forest are on the attack immediately, Gibbs-White giving his pass in behind too much for Jesus.

2 min “You can’t let tonight pass without some Clough references,” says Alun Pugh. “He’s looking down willing Forest on to another European trophy. How many sides have defended the top European Cup?

When a supporter invaded the pitch our Brian responded with a punch. The following morning’s tabloid headline – ‘the shit hits the fan’. Marvellous!”

I remember it well and absolutely loved Cloughie, who bestrode my childhood. One of my best mates was a Forest fan, so he was an omnipresent, and even as a kid, I could tell he was special.

1 min Away we go!

I love football at this time of year. OK, I love it at every time of year, but there’s something glorious and moving about the setting sun, and watching it get dark or failing to notice it getting dark, feeling wistful as another season passes. In a grim world, it’s very nice to have.

Our teams are tunnelled, and out they come! NOISE! MAGIC HOUR LIGHT!

“Imagine Mourinho going to Brentford and winning the league and then back-to-back Champions Leagues,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “Then Newcastle winning it the following year. That was kind of what the late 70s/early 80s were like with Forest and Villa. Mad, when you think back on it now. Of course, the Interweb were all fields in them days...”

Yup, I was alive but a baby, so don’t remember it happening, but it was a different footballing world – the eastern bloc players stayed put, and clubs like Forest and Villa didn’t have their best players poached by the richest when they were still foetuses.

Check out this, on the 1981 Cup Winners’ Cup final – perhaps the most 80s match ever, with some banging goals.

Email! “Having eschewed the Dragaoke event in the other room,” begins Benjamin Gravestock, “I’m perched with a pint and just glad Pereira has forgotten Emery’s weakness against wingbacks.

Onana is 80% of a Kamara in game-reading and 90% of a Kamara in terms of being in the right place at the right time, and 70% of a Kamara in distribution decisions, but you’re right that his presence is a big boon for a midfield that still looks a bit friable.

I have Villa lifting themselves for this game and think we’ll take 0, 1, or two goals back to VP, and finish it comfortably next week. But I may be kidding myself.”

It’s one of those games in which no result would massively surprise me. If Villa’s high line is exploited, they can lose by a few, but if their forwards fire, they can win by a few. I agree that Kamara is a big miss, but Onana’s physicality, especially early on, and his box-presence at both ends will be really helpful. I think he’d have played even if Kamara were available because in big games, managers tend to like the things he brings.

Vitor Pereira wants his team to play with spirit, ambition, quality; to be themselves. It’s a special team, he says – they’ve faced a lot of problems, having had four managers, different styles and methodologies, but they keep fighting, they’re united and they keep the same spirit and belief, which is special.

They have some injury issues, missing Sangare and Cunha, but though they’ve changed some players, they keep the same spirit. They have to prove that they deserve to be here, but they’re here because they’ve played well.

Apropos of not much, anyone seen the Northern Premier League, Midlands Division?

Carlton Town finished the season second, 25 points ahead of Rfifth-placed acing Club, who finished 24 points above second-bottom … and of course Racing then beat Carlton on penalties in the playoff semis. Coming soon to a Championship near you.

Emery wants his players to enjoy the occasion; respect their opponents and respect the ref. Onana is fit to start so he is, and that’s about it.

So which team is going to win? If they’re brave enough to get men in the box, I fancy Forest. I don’t massively rate Villa’s defence, which lacks a bit of physicality on the left – I’m not sure how they’re going to control Gibbs-White, and I think Wood can lean on Pau Torres.

Villa, on the other hand, are more likely to build through the middle. They’ll condense the play and look for quick interchanges, Ollie Watkins attacking the space in behind – especially in the absence of Murillo – with Emi Buendia in particular but also John McGinn looking to feed him in.

And as Gibbs-White does for Forest, so Rogers will do for them, mooching about dropping grenades, while Youri Tielemans will look to conduct from deep and arrive on the edge of the box to hit shots.

So where is the game? Well, Forest will look to stretch the play, their full-backs keeping width, especially on the left, with Gibbs-White roaming and an attacking the box. They’ll no doubt be looking to hit Wood with crosses, and won’t mind sitting deep to take advantage of Vila’s high line and their pace on the counter.

I’m not at all surprised Emery has recalled Onana. His ability to cover the width of the pitch will be especially useful given Forest’s use of wingers, while he’ll also be aware of the need to pick up Jesus, dropping off.

It’s also worth noting the 4-4-1-1 throwback formation they now deploy. It has various strengths – it’s the most frequently used out of position shape, gives centre-backs two men to worry about rather than the modish one, and allows for wide overloads.

The reason we see less of it, though, is that it can leave a team undermanned in midfield. But if you’re not seeking control, it’s a really good way to play football, especially if you’ve got good attackers, as Forest do.

I guess Vitor Pereira has to consider the relegation battle his side haven’t quite yet won.

The return of Chris Wood has coincided with some terrific goalscoring form throughout the team, a reference point around which Omari Hutchinson, Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus can buzz.

As for Villa, it’s just the one alteration for Unai Emery, Amadou Onana in for Lamare Bogarde.

Taking a closer look at those, Vitor Pereira makes two changes to the Forest side which walloped Sunderland. In net, Stefan Ortega replaces Matz Sels while, in central defence, Morato comes in for Jair Cunha and in midfield, it’s Nicola Dominguez not Ibrahim Sangare.

Of course! It’s a big game, so TNT have someone reading meaningful truisms in an earnest voice. I’m choking up here. Anyroad up, let’s have some teams…