Aston Villa 1-2 Nottingham Forest 

Alysson 74'                 Delap 46'

                                     Igor Jesus 88'

Forest haven’t had pleasant visits to Villa Park in recent times, losing their last 7 topflight games here. In fact, make that the last 32 years; the last time the Reds won at Aston Villa was back in 1994. The record includes the biggest heartbreak the younger generation have seen supporting Forest. 1-0 up after the first leg, on the cusp of a European final. But they were embarrassed on the night, losing 4-0 and getting knocked out of the Europa League. Could the Reds get redemption?

Forest were heading from the East to the West Midlands, in search of their first 3 points of the season. This winless start was extended last weekend, when Spurs’ visit to the City Ground ended 0-0. However, Oliver Glasner has never lost to Emery in 7 attempts (5 wins and 2 draws). In the hope of continuing this run, he made 2 changes to the starting XI. After finding out late last night that both Milenkovic and Cunha had hamstring problems, the Austrian had to adjust at the back. He bought in Diomande and Munoz for their first starts in the Garibaldi, pushing Aina to right centre back. Despite winning away at Club Brugge midweek in the Champions League, Villa are also yet to win (or score) in the league, having done in their first 4 games last season. After a 0-0 draw away at Hull last weekend, Emery also made 2 defensive changes. Pau Torres came in for Mings whilst the injured Cash was replaced by Wan-Bissaka.

In the opening minutes, it was the hosts who dominated, pushing for an early opener. McGinn and Buendia played a 1 2 on the left which ended in the latter running onto the ball and putting in a low cross. Diomande tried to head it away at the front post but it landed into the path of Lindelof on the edge of the 6 yard box. The Swede didn’t have time to think as the ball just hit his boot. The effort was going wide but in an attempt to block it, the outstretched boot of Murillo flicked it on towards goal. Sels had very little time to react but he did, saving it with his leg before scooping it off the line. Murillo tried to clear but the ball smacked off the post and back into Lindelof’s path. He lifted his leg to try and side foot the ball in on the volley but his effort was blocked by Sels before Forest could clear. And breathe!

Villa continued their search of a goal, testing Sels a few times in the first 20 minutes. Forest were struggling to get a foothold in the game with Villa having majority of possession. As the half went on, both teams had chances to put themselves in front with both Gibbs-White and Barkley testing the ‘keepers respectively. However, in the dying minutes of the half, Forest had a glorious chance to take the lead. Delap and McAtee linked up down the right and the latter broke into the box, with no one marking his run. The angle was too tight for a shot so the Englishman rolled it to the edge of the box, where an unmarked Williams was waiting. He had all the time to take a touch and slot it into the net but he ran onto it and his first time strike went embarrassingly over the crossbar.

From the second the whistle blew for the second 45, the visitors came out on the front foot with confidence. Whatever Glasner had said at half time, had immediate effect with Delap finding the bottom left corner just 45 seconds after the restart. Villa had the ball on the right, deep in their own half, trying to get themselves up the pitch. However, after a few loose passes, Murillo stepped up, won back possession and the ball landed into Delap’s path. The striker still had lots of work to do, picking up the ball from 30 yards out but he turned and skipped past Barkley. With no real passing option, he let fly from 25 yards and watched the ball nestle into the back of the net. That’s his first goal since January and his first in the Garibaldi.

This goal sparked Forest into life and Villa had no option but to be pushed back into their own half. The Reds were just creating chance after chance. An unmarked Ndoye headed just over from close range after getting on the end of Gibbs-White cross whilst minutes later, Delap’s header at the near post from a Munoz cross just missed the top right corner and instead rippled the side netting.

The visitors needed to capitalise on their opportunities and find a second to reward their second half display. They thought they had but the flag delayed any celebrations. Munoz flicked it round the corner for Gibbs-White on the right before the latter played a lovely curling pass to put Delap through on goal. The striker wrestled off Lindelof before finishing beyond Suzuki but he was offside when the ball was played to him.

No matter how on top you are, if you don’t take your chances in the Premier League, it will come back to bite you. And that’s exactly what happened. Kamara laid off a free kick from 25 yards which looked like McGinn was going to run onto and have a go at goal. Instead, the Scotsman passed to Mbaye to his left who cut in and got off a shot. Sels was equal to the effort, parrying it behind for a corner. Villa took the corner short, passing it around on the left before McGinn cut inside and whipped in a delightful cross. It was met by Alysson who flicked it down and into the bottom right corner.

The goal didn’t seem to unsettle Forest and they continued their pursuit of finding a second which would now put them back in front. McAtee’s effort from 20 yards out whistled just wide of the top left corner. Minutes later, he found himself in controversy after injuring Maatsen with no attempt to play the ball, leaving Villa to play the last 10 minutes with 10 men as they has used all their substitutions. This left McGinn at left back and Forest knew they could exploit this side and push for a late winner. Suzuki was called into action as he had to deny Munoz’s header from close range just before he had to push away the diving header of Schlager from 10 yards out, which looked to be nestling into the bottom left corner, as he got on the end of Munoz’s cross. However, he couldn’t keep out Igor Jesus. Just like for the majority of the second half, Gibbs-White and Munoz linked up down the right. The latter pulled the ball back into the danger area where Gibbs-White flicked on the ball brilliantly at the near post, knowing Jesus was there to steer the ball home into the bottom left corner.

Forest ticked down the clock as 6 minutes were added on, even coming close from a Gibbs-White free-kick from around 25 yards out which curled just past of the top right corner. The referee blew for full time and Forest had their first 3 points of the campaign whilst Villa’s search for maximum points goes on. Both sides next game is against Coventry; Villa playing them away in the EFL on Wednesday whilst Forest welcome them to the City Ground next weekend.

Yesterday’s performance was brilliant, especially in that second half. We came out on the front foot, playing with confidence and more belief in ourselves. We were creating lots of chances, some of which we need to start taking more, especially down that right side. The switch of Ndoye and Gibbs-White at half time really allowed Munoz to get forward and put delightful crosses into the box which created many opportunities for us. The goal we conceded was poor but we showed we aren’t going to give up and we’re going to keep pushing. We also did really well considering the last minute defensive reshuffle but Diomande came in and played well, not putting a foot wrong. The midfield duo of McAtee and Schlager continues to impress me especially McAtee who looks a completely different player under Glasner.

Aston Villa: Suzuki; Maatsen, Torres (Mings 25'), Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka; Barkley (Manzambi 63'), Kamara; Hemmings (Alysson 46'), Buendia (Mbaye 63'), McGinn; Jackson (Abraham 46')

Forest: Sels; Murillo, Diomande, Aina; Williams, Schlager, McAtee (Sangare 82'), Munoz; Gibbs-White, Ndoye (Jesus 75'); Delap (Wood 90')