It is all Forest. Callum Hudson-Odoi cuts in from the left flank and shoots low and hard but just wide of goal, although keeper Elias Rafn Olafsson may have had it covered anyway if it had been on target.

Much better delivery from Brennan Johnson as he whips in a deep free-kick but it comes off the side of the head of Jaydee Canvot at the far post... he had just overrun it a step and tries to knock it down rather than arch his neck around it to send it goalwards from six yards out.

It leads to a scramble but a couple of follow-ups, including an Adam Wharton volley, are scrambled away.

Image source, Getty Images

Three? Surely one would do?

The success of the Brennan Johnson experiment at right wing-back remains up for discussion as the Wales international drives forward but then smashes a cross in from the touchline which lands 20 yards beyond the far post and bounces out for a throw in.

Three clubs too many, at least.

This has been a very bright start from Forest. Nicolas Dominguez cuts across his 20-yard effort, with the ball swerving away from goalkeeper Elias Rafn Olafsson, but swerving just a bit too much and wide of goal.

Aston Villa

Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa captain John McGinn, speaking to TNT Sports: “It was a good first leg. We know how these games change over two legs. We could have scored one or two more goals but they could have had one or two themselves. A better performance but still a lot to do.

“It felt nice. It’s been six weeks and it was great to be back out there helping the team. The more bodies we can get back the better.

“We needed a reset. The past month has not been great. We can’t dwell on it. We can learn from it but what we need to do is build and tonight is a building block. We know we can do a lot better but it is a good result.

“It was good to see Ollie to get on the score sheet. He will probably be disappointed with the one on one. We showed signs of getting back to our best but there's still a long way to go."

Ola Aina nearly scores in the opening 30 seconds of the second half, only for his shot to hit his captain Morgan Gibbs-White.

Image source, Getty Images

You feel Palace might have had a bit of a rocket as they have begun brightly after the interval with Brennan Johnson outmuscled on the rght of the box after being threaded through.

Adam Wharton also blazed down the left after a botched free-kick routine and swung in a dangerous cross which Zlatan Alomerovic, the inspired 34-year-old AEK keeper, shovelled away from his near post.

A change apiece at the break with Neco Williams on for Morato for Forest and Valdemar Andreasen on for right midfielder Denil Castillo for the Danes.

And back.

Back under way at Selhurst Park... what drama awaits us?

Image source, Opta/Getty

Jean-Philippe Matete has been warming up during the interval.

Could the script be written for a glorious return?

Fara Williams
Former England midfielder on TNT Sport

On Júnior Brumado's early chance for the away side:

We spoke about the wind and the conditions but you have to go and attack that. Brumado has to hit the target, for me. It is a great ball in and he is completely unmarked.

Early on Midtjylland had a chance to go 1-0 up but after that, it was all Nottingham Forest.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, speaking to TNT Sports: "We played a very serious match, [were] organised, respecting the competition and we know how difficult this match is in Europe playing in other countries with the atmosphere they have here.

"For them to play an English team you can feel it a little bit – a huge motivation for the opponent.

“We have our experience here two years ago. We prepared and planned this match to have all those circumstances under our control. We started the match trying to test how they were tactically and we were more or less getting better. The first half was equal but I think we dominate more with the positioning.

"Second half we started very good, scoring the goal and having other chances to score. We were feel comfortable and confident. We played always with being organised as the first demand."

On Ollie Watkins: “He is working and being consistent with his task. Then of course he’s scoring but we need more numbers with the other players. The most important thing is how we played a serious match, always expecting everything and with our gameplan to play strongly for 90 minutes."

Image source, Opta

It's the Palace skipper's 29th birthday today, and nobody likes to be all alone on their birthday...

He's been largely a spectator, while a boy-boy at the opposite end has actually had more touches of the ball with his hands than the England keeper has in the opening 45 minutes.

And the best present Henderson could ask for is that pattern continuing throughout the second half too...

Forest have been the better side with Elias Rafn Olafsson doing well on three occasions to save long-range strikes from Ola Aina, Omari Hutchinson and Elliot Anderson. Philip Billing has also headed one off the line to ensure it is goalless at the break.

Omari Hutchinson with a fine pull-back and Morgan Gibbs-White runs on to it and flicks it with the outside of the foot goalwards. It would've found the bottom corner too, but away skipper Mads Bech gets a vital touch to send it wide for a corner.

Image source, Getty Images

Zlatan Alomerovic is the main reason we go into the break goalless.

The AEK keeper somehow blocked Evann Guessand's early shot from close-range with his shoulder and then flew out to thwart Tyrick Mitchell from similar range late in the half too.

Palace have huffed and puffed but, for now, it's exactly following the script of the first game between the two in the group phase here in October... which Larnaca went on to win 1-0.

Image source, Getty Images

The Forest fans are not impressed with the refereeing performance from Slovenia's Rade Obrenovic so far with ironic cheers when Junior Brumado catches Nikola Milenkovic in the head with a flailing arm with a free-kick given.