In-form Aston Villa maintained their charge towards securing European football next season with victory over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest at Villa Park.
They have now won 11 of their 17 games since boss Unai Emery took charge, tasting success in their last four matches.
It had been a testing first half as the hosts struggled to get a foothold, with Forest managing to equal their efforts.
Villa came close as Ollie Watkins forced Keylor Navas into a well-timed stop from close range but chances were otherwise limited.
The game’s opening goal could not have come easier for the hosts, though, as Bertrand Traore curled past Navas after Jonjo Shelvey cleared the ball into the path of the Villa man shortly after the restart.
And Watkins sealed the result as he doubled their lead in the final minute of added time, chipping into the back of the net after playing a one-two with Jacob Ramsey.
Forest’s poor run of form leaves them sitting in 18th, inside the relegation zone on goal difference. Villa are six points off fifth-placed Tottenham with eight games remaining.
Villa’s fortunes continue to improve
Emery has masterminded a complete turnaround of Villa’s fortunes since taking the reins in October.
They had won just two of their opening 11 matches before the Spaniard’s arrival but are now firmly in the mix at the top end of the table.
They struggled to cause any real issues in the scrappy first half, Alex Moreno’s frequent forays down the wing one of their few bright attacking sparks.
Their confidence was much-improved after Traore’s goal, though, and their game finally sprung into life.
Emi Buendia came inches away from extending the hosts’ advantage after Moreno charged past the defence but the Argentine sliced just wide of the near post.
Watkins’ goal added to his own fine run of form, netting his ninth goal in 11 games.
Villa have already surpassed last season’s points tally and Emery will be hoping his side can maintain the pressure on the league’s top sides throughout the run-in.
More to follow.
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Aston Villa
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Squad number1Player nameE Martínez
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Squad number18Player nameYoung
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Squad number4Player nameKonsa
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Squad number5Player nameMings
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Squad number15Player nameÁlex Moreno
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Squad number41Player nameJ Ramsey
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Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
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Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
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Squad number10Player nameBuendía
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Squad number31Player nameBailey
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Squad number11Player nameWatkins
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Squad number9Player nameTraoré
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Squad number32Player nameDendoncker
Nottingham Forest
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Squad number12Player nameNavas
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Squad number4Player nameWorrall
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Squad number38Player nameFelipe
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Squad number19Player nameNiakhaté
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Squad number7Player nameN Williams
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Squad number6Player nameShelvey
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Squad number21Player nameKouyaté
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Squad number15Player nameToffolo
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Squad number10Player nameGibbs-White
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Squad number28Player nameDanilo
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Squad number20Player nameJohnson
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Squad number5Player nameMangala
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Squad number9Player nameAwoniyi
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Squad number23Player nameFreuler
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Squad number34Player nameA Ayew
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 4-4-2
- 1E Martínez
- 18Young
- 4KonsaBooked at 85mins
- 5Mings
- 15Moreno LoperaBooked at 35mins
- 41J Ramsey
- 7McGinn
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 10BuendíaSubstituted forDendonckerat 75′minutes
- 31BaileySubstituted forTraoréat 28′minutes
- 11WatkinsBooked at 90mins
Substitutes
- 3Santos Silva
- 9Traoré
- 16Chambers
- 22Durán
- 25Olsen
- 27Digne
- 32Dendoncker
- 38Sinisalo
- 56Revan
Nottm Forest
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 12Navas
- 4WorrallSubstituted forAwoniyiat 65′minutesBooked at 85mins
- 38Felipe
- 19NiakhatéSubstituted forat 86′minutes
- 7N Williams
- 6ShelveyBooked at 36minsSubstituted forMangalaat 65′minutesBooked at 90mins
- 21KouyatéSubstituted forFreulerat 32′minutes
- 15ToffoloBooked at 90mins
- 10Gibbs-White
- 28dos Santos de OliveiraSubstituted forA Ayewat 78′minutes
- 20Johnson
Substitutes
- 5Mangala
- 9Awoniyi
- 11Lingard
- 13Hennessey
- 16Surridge
- 23Freuler
- 25Dennis
- 26McKenna
- 34A Ayew
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 42,076
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa 2, Nottingham Forest 0.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa 2, Nottingham Forest 0.
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Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for excessive celebration.
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Goal! Aston Villa 2, Nottingham Forest 0. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jacob Ramsey.
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Foul by John McGinn (Aston Villa).
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André Ayew (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Harry Toffolo (Nottingham Forest).
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Harry Toffolo (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Harry Toffolo (Nottingham Forest).
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John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Felipe (Nottingham Forest).
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Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Orel Mangala (Nottingham Forest).
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Corner, Nottingham Forest. Conceded by Douglas Luiz.
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Moussa Niakhaté went off injured after Nottingham Forest had used all subs.
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Taiwo Awoniyi (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card.
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Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card.
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