Nottingham Forest returned to Premier League action today at one of the traditional homes of English football, Villa Park, to face Unai Emery’s side.
Nuno Espirito Santo made one change to the side that beat West Ham last weekend with Moussa Niakhaté entering the fold in place of Arsenal loanee, Nuno Tavares.
Forest started on a sunny afternoon in Birmingham defending the Holte End and donning a full white strip, with a dash of sky blue.
The hosts opened the scoring inside four minutes, when John McGinn turned on a sixpence, before releasing the ball to Leon Bailey down the right flank, who was able to neatly tuck the ball through the legs of Murillo and roll it across the face of goal where it was caressed across the goal line from close range by the in-form Ollie Watkins.
Matt Selz was called into action shortly before the 20th minute mark, when he made his way into the area and fired a low shot at Selz's goal, but the Belgian stopper was able to get down and turn the ball away for a corner.
Villa doubled the lead inside half an hour when Matty Cash was able to find Jacob Ramsey, who did well to turn the ball back into the path of the incoming run into the area from Brazilian Douglas Luiz, who wrapped the ball into the bottom left corner.
Aston Villa added a third before half time when Nicolas Domínguez was only able to clear the danger from a corner as far as a claret and blue shirt. The ball was subsequently played out to the right-hand side where John McGinn was able to deliver a pinpoint cross on to the head of Douglas Luiz who scored his second of the afternoon.
The Reds pulled one back on the stroke of half-time when a Morgan Gibbs-White corner was delightfully headed back across the goal by Taiwo Awoniyi and bundled over the line by the chest of Moussa Niakhaté to keep the game alive.
Half Time: Aston Villa 3-1 Nottingham Forest
Nuno Espirito Santo made three changes at the interval with Harry Toffolo, Andrew Omobamidele and Divock Origi entering the field in place of Murillo, Felipe and Awoniyi.
Forest sprang into life inside the opening minutes of the half when Anthony Elanga picked out Origi who looked as if he opened his body to shoot but instead slid a delectable ball through to Morgan Gibbs-White who scooped the ball over Emi Martínez much to the delight of the travelling Reds.
Only seconds later Forest almost drew level when substitute Origi once again found himself amongst the action with a beautiful, lofted pass into the Villa area, but the surging Elanga could only drag his effort wide of Martinez as a collective sigh of relief echoed around Villa Park.
Aston Villa were able to recapture the two-goal lead just after the hour mark, when The Reds gave away possession cheaply in the final third. Mats Selz did well to close-down the resultant opportunity, but the ball ricocheted back towards the goalmouth where Jamaican international Leon Bailey was able to stroke the ball home into an empty net from 12 yards out.
Full Time: Aston Villa 4-2 Nottingham Forest
FOREST: Mats Selz; Neco Williams, Moussa Niakhaté, Murillo (Harry Toffolo, 46’) , Felipé (Andrew Omobamidele, 46’); Nicolás Dominguez (Ryan Yates, 73’), Danilo; Morgan Gibbs-White (C) (Gio Reyna, 81’); Anthony Elanga, Callum Hudson-Odoi, Taiwo Awoniyi (Divock Origi, 46’)
Subs: Matt Turner, Cheikhou Kouyaté, Gonzalo Montiel, Rodrigo Ribeiro
Goals: Moussa Niakhaté 45+5’, Morgan Gibbs-White 48’
Yellow Cards: Murillo 15’, Felipe 45’
ASTON VILLA: Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Alex Moreno (Lucas Digne, 58’), Clement Lenglet, Pau Torres (Callum Chambers, 46’); Leon Bailey (Moussa Diaby, 90’), Jacob Ramsey, John McGinn (C), Douglas Luiz, Youri Tielemans (Nicolo Zaniolo, 81’); Ollie Watkins (Morgan Rogers, 90’)
Subs: Joe Anthony Gauci, Robin Olsen, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Tim Iroegbunam
Goals: Ollie Watkins 4’, Douglas Luiz 29’ & 39’, Leon Bailey 61’
Yellow Card: Alex Moreno 57’