Credit: Sky Sports

Dan Godfrey

Sat 5 April 2025 19:58, UK

Emi Martinez will be annoyed not to have kept a clean sheet as Aston Villa fought to victory against Nottingham Forest, but glad his side earned the three points.

Another Premier League win was vital for the Villans as they push for the top five places, all likely to offer Champions League football for next season.

Unai Emery’s side roared out of the traps to take a two-goal lead inside 15 minutes through Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen, and Jota Silva responded for Nuno Espirito Santo’s visitors after the break.

The win takes Villa sixth in the table, level on points with Manchester City directly above them, and just six points adrift of a Forest side who have dropped jaws this season.

Martinez absolved of blame for goal by Alan Smith

Martinez‘s clean sheet was extinguished 12 minutes into the second half as Forest gathered momentum, and Silva rolled in a neat finish to halve the deficit.

Villa certainly rode their luck to seal the win over Forest at times, with Elliot Anderson and Murillo coming mightily close in the second half, and Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi among those to narrowly pass up chances in the first.

Alan Smith, co-commentating for Sky Sports (5 April, 18:45), credited Silva for beating Martinez how he did, but then discovered a minor deflection off Ezri Konsa which dictated the flight of the ball as it dashed through the England defender’s legs.

“Jota Silva just took charge from Anderson here,” Smith said.

“That’s a heck of a finish to beat Martinez from that angle.

Upon viewing the reverse angle replay, Smith said: “Oh, it takes a deflection to take it away from Martinez.”

Konsa was visibly frustrated, but will be overjoyed they survived the multiple Forest scores to continue their form and get over the line.

Aston Villa head for Paris in excellent form

Aston Villa are of a rare European breed at this stage of the season, heading into April with three competitions still there for success to be gathered from.

Having caught up with their fellow contenders for the Champions League places, it is exactly that competition they now focus upon once again.

A trip to Paris beckons, to take on a hugely impressive PSG side at the Parc des Princes on Wednesday (9 April). It is the ultimate test at this stage, on familiar surroundings for Emery.

The FA Cup also provides a massive opportunity for the Villans fans, gasping for a major trophy to cap off the superb progress their side have made over recent seasons.

It promises to be a rollercoaster final few weeks of the campaign for those of a claret and blue persuasion in Birmingham and beyond.