Aston Villa 2 Nottingham Forest 1

Unai Emery’s decision to make eight changes to his team looked to have paid dividends as the hosts flew into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen.

But Forest were a different beast after the break and got back into the game through Jota Silva’s deflected strike.

Murillo hit the bar in stoppage time as Forest pushed for a leveller but Villa held on for a win which boosts their top-five ambitions.

Analysis

What looked like being a cruise for Villa ended up being a horribly nervy affair, as a demonstration of their squad depth almost turned into a disaster in game management.

Villa, thanks to Emery’s large-scale changes, began with huge energy and scored twice in as many minutes through Rogers and Malen.

At that point it looked as though they would blow the visitors away but the second half was a different story.

Forest, ultimately, were left to rue poor finishing as a series of efforts went just off target.

Emery had explained in the week how he often does not finalise his starting XI until hours before a match. 

Yet the number of changes here smacked of something planned well in advance and a demonstration of the manager’s belief in the depth of his squad.

It wasn’t as though you could describe the line-up as weak, containing as it did top scorer Ollie Watkins, £50million record signing Amadou Onana and a three-time Champions League winner in the shape of Marco Asensio.

Emi Martinez, who captained the team, Youri Tielemans and Morgan Rogers were the only three to remain from the win at Brighton.

Ian Maatsen had not been involved in either of Villa’s games since the international break but was in the thick of the action, bringing a sharp save from Matz Sels after a deft touch from Rogers had sent him into the box.

Asensio then flicked an Andres Garcia cross just wide of the post, before Youri Tielemans lashed wide as the home side’s bright start continued.

It soon brought a goal. Tielemans, from the centre circle, lofted a pass over the Forest defence into the path of Rogers, who controlled with his right before finishing low with his left under the body of Sels.

There was barely time for fans to take in the goal before Villa scored again. Maatsen twisted, turned, got past Ryan Yates and hammered in a low cross which Malen could not miss.

Forest looked shell-shocked but then had two good chances to get back in the match.

Anthony Elanga came close to repeating his fine solo goal against Manchester United when he fired wide having run from his own half. A poor pass from Rogers then allowed Callum Hudson-Odoi in but he was also unable to hit the target.

Otherwise, Villa were comfortable, without creating another clear cut chance in the half, an Asensio free-kick straight down the throat of Sels the only time the visiting keeper was troubled.

Forest were largely passive but came out for the second half with renewed purpose. Williams sent a great chance wide, before Hudson-Odoi was then narrowly off target again.

It felt like a goal was coming and 12 minutes after the restart it did. Williams crossed low from the left and Silva’s finish took a nick off Konsa to beat Martinez.

When Elliot Anderson then shot narrowly wide Villa were rocking and it prompted Emery to make a triple change, Boubacar Kamara, Jacob Ramsey and Marcus Rashford all introduced.

Rogers forced a fine save from Sels when he went through on goal, with the keeper also denying Asensio at the near post before producing a flying save to beat away Tielemans’ drive.

But Forest were continuing to create chances, Anderson again off target before Morgan Gibbs-White drilled wide.

Williams again could not find the target before, in the first minute of stoppage time, Murillo sent a 25-yard effort off the bar. 

Sels then denied Rashford one-on-one as Villa Park remained nervy until the final whistle.

Key Moments

13 GOAL Youri Tielemans lifts a pass over the top of the Forest defence and Morgan Rogers finishes under the body of Matz Sels.

15 GOAL Villa have another. Ian Maatsen twists and turns his way past Ryan Yates and delivers a low cross which Donyell Malen converts.

57 GOAL Forest are back in it. Substitute Jota Silva’s strike takes a nick off Ezri Konsa to beat Emi Martinez.

Substitutes

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Garcia (Konsa HT), Disasi, Mings, Maatsen, Onana (Kamara 61), Tielemans, Rogers, Asensio (McGinn 73), Malen (Ramsey 61), Watkins (Rashford 61) Subs not used: Cash, Digne, Torres, Olsen (gk).

Forest (3-4-3): Sels, Milenkovic, Morato (Boly 75), Dominguez (Sosa 74), Yates, Anderson, Williams, Elanga (Jota HT), Gibbs-White, Hudson-Odoi Subs not used: Sangare, Toffolo, Moreira, Danilo, Abbott, Miguel (gk).