Nottingham Forest 2-0 Aston Villa – Ola Aina and Orel Mangala on target as Forest defeat Villa in Premier League clash

Nottingham Forest picked up their first Premier League win since early September with a 2-0 win over Aston Villa at the City Ground.

The home side started the quicker of the two and took the lead in the fifth minute when Ola Aina guided a powerful long shot into the bottom corner.

Forest looked the more likely to score for the rest of the opening period. Straight after half-time they doubled their lead, when Emiliano Martinez failed to keep out a speculative long drive from Orel Mangala.

The visitors dominated the second half in terms of possession but were kept at bay by a spirited defensive rearguard spearheaded by Moussa Niakhate.

Forest move up to 12th in the Premier League table, while Villa’s unbeaten run of six league games is over.

A reality check for Aston Villa. It doesn’t take long to come back down to earth in the Premier League. Villa have been flying lately and had the chance to go up to third table with victory at the City Ground.

Unai Emery has rightly received praise for his work so far, but a flat performance and a defeat today are a reminder of how tough it is to stay at the top end of this league. They’ve been free-scoring so far in 2023-24 but were kept at bay by a defiant Forest team.

Villa have come a long way under Emery, but the top four places that are nearby at this early stage of the season could slowly disappear from view in the coming weeks. Three of their next five are away to Tottenham and then at home to Arsenal and Manchester City. There’s been progress, but today was a reminder that they’re still a work in progress.

Their two goals aside, Nottingham Forest were dominated in terms of possession and territory at the City Ground. The key to only their third clean sheet in all competitions was a dominant performance by Niakhate. His astute reading of Villa’s attacks in the left half of the pitch nullified so may positions of promise for the visitors, who are one of the highest scoring teams in the Premier League.

Nottingham Forest: Vlachodimos 7; Aina 7, Niakhate 8, Murillo 7, Toffolo 6; Mangala 7, Sangare 7; Elanga 6, Gibbs-White 7, Dominguez 6; Awoniyi 7

SUBS: Williams 6, Yates 6, Aurier 6, Danilo 7

Aston Villa: Martinez 5; Cash 6, Konsa 6, Torres 6, Digne 7; McGinn 7, Kamara 6, Douglas Luiz 6, Zaniolo 5; Diaby 6, Watkins 6

SUBS: Diego Carlos 6, Tielemans 6, Bailey 6, Dendoncker 6

5’ GOAL! NOTTINGHAM FOREST 1 (AINA 5) ASTON VILLA 0 Oh my, this is a beauty! Forest have been lively so far, and a quick one-two sets Elanga away down the left. He checks back on himself, and Forest work the ball back to the edge of the D. Aina walks onto it and guides a side-footed drive into the bottom corner for his first ever goal for Forest!

39’ BIG CHANCE! A quick ball releases Aina down the left. He muscles Zaniolo off it and gets into the area, before cutting it back to near the penalty spot. Dominguez arrives onto it at full tilt, but scoops his shot way over the bar.

47’ GOAL! NOTTINGHAM FOREST 2 (MANGALA 47) ASTON VILLA 0 It’s a big mistake from Martinez, and it’s two-nil! Forest break down the left again. It eventually finds Toffolo, who picks out Mangala 25 yards out. Mangala booms one at goal; Martinez tries an extravagent, one-handed palm away, but only sends it straight up into the air; it bounces down over the line before he can retrieve it, and it’s two-nil!

55’ CHANCE! McGinn pivots into space on the right corner of the area. His ball into the box is gorgeous, right between the penalty spot and six-yard box; Watkins is unmarked, but mistimes his glancing header and it goes wide.

74’ SCRAMBLE! McGinn fires in a corner for Villa. It’s headed back across goal, high and looping, and Vlachodimos can’t hold it; it bounces through the six-yard box and Sangare boots it clear with Konsa lurking.

• Both of Forest’s goals were scored from outside of the area today; they’ve only managed three in the 48 games before that.