Aston Villa moved into the Premier League’s top six as early goals by Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen won the game 2-1 against third-placed Nottingham Forest on Saturday. A seventh successive win for Unai Emery’s team in all competitions positions Aston Villa perfectly for their visit to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Villa’s run of form has also seen them well into the race for Champions League football next term.
Champions League Race Heats Up
A top-five Premier League finish will virtually guarantee qualification with the sheer form of English teams in European competition this term.
Aston Villa are only below Manchester City in fifth only on goal difference and drew to within a point of Chelsea in fourth.
“We enjoy competing in the Champions League and the FA Cup, but the Premier League is the most important because it is through the league that we can reach our objective for the next season,” said Emery.
Forest’s six-point cushion over Villa is diminishing, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s team having much work to do in their remaining seven matches to seal a return to European football’s top flight for the first time since they were 1980 holders.
Unai Emery’s Tactical Rotation Pays Off
Emery only had one eye on the journey to his old club midweek when he made eight changes from Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Brighton.
The Spaniard’s move to bring in fresh legs was vindicated in a flying start as the home team were 2-0 up within 15 minutes.
Early Goals Give Aston Villa Control
Rogers’ clever touch to hold up Youri Tielemans’ ball over the top set up the England man to stroke home his 13th goal of a breakout campaign.
Malen has been overshadowed by the contribution made by fellow January signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.
But the Dutch international now has two strikes in two games after converting Ian Maatsen’s tempting low cross.
Forest’s Fatigue Shows in First Half Against Aston Villa
Forest appeared weary at fending off Manchester United on Tuesday just three days on from being pushed to extra-time and penalties by Brighton to secure their FA Cup semi-final spot.
Villa and Forest may face each other again in the FA Cup final should they progress their last-four matches later this month. The visitors struggled to get going for 45 minutes but emerged a transformed side in the second period.
“Normally we always start really well and the big lesson was that we can’t start a game as bad as we did today,” said Nuno, The Forest manager’s move to sacrifice in-form Anthony Elanga for Jota Silva at half-time was a masterstroke.
Silva Sparks Forest Comeback Attempt
Villa ignored the Forest warning signs as Neco Williams and Callum Hudson-Odoi sent the ball just wide at the beginning of the second half.
Silva spun on to Williams’ cross on 56 minutes to cut the arrears in half. Elliott Anderson was then inches from an equaliser as the former Newcastle midfielder’s shot veered off target.
Late Forest Pressure Nearly Steals a Point
Emery went to his star-studded bench in an attempt to change the course of the game as Rashford, Jacob Ramsey and Boubacar Kamara were introduced just after the hour mark.
But it was Rogers who had the greatest opportunity to make the three points secure when he was unable to beat Matz Sels one-on-one.
That respite breathed life into Forest and they might have grabbed a point when Williams shot across goal before Murillo’s long-range shot rebounded off the bar in stoppage time.