Alan Shearer raves about what ‘superb’ Aston Villa trio did in Nottingham Forest win
Alan Shearer was ecstatic with how Aston Villa’s midfield ran the show in the 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
Ollie Watkins scored a brilliant long-range effort before John McGinn scored from Matty Cash’s cut-back to make it 2-0.
Morgan Gibbs-White dragged the visitors back into the match with a delightful chip, but McGinn’s second of the day put the game beyond doubt for Unai Emery’s side.
The result leaves Villa six points behind league leaders Arsenal in second place, although Man City have the chance to overtake them when they play Chelsea on Sunday.
Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara both played brilliantly, and Shearer highlighted them as being key to the win at Villa Park.
Alan Shearer can’t believe how impressive Aston Villa’s midfield has become
With McGinn starting on the right wing, he tucked inside to make it extremely tough for Forest to play through Villa’s midfield.
Speaking on Match of the Day on 3 January, Shearer waxed lyrical about Villa’s three most consistent players.
He said: “With Kamara and Tielemans at the heart of the pitch, and then with McGinn getting into better positions in attack, the midfield balance was absolutely superb.
“There’s no way out for Forest when they win the ball back because Villa’s positioning allows for Kamara and Tielemans to close them down.
| Stat | Kamara | Tielemans | McGinn |
| Pass accuracy | 92% | 92% | 80% |
| Chances created | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Duels won | 14/24 | 4/10 | 3/7 |
| Touches | 114 | 123 | 63 |
Shearer was also thoroughly impressed by the third goal, despite goalkeeper John Victor charging out into no man’s land.
He added: “This is an incredible pass and great touch for McGinn. It’s like a quarterback pass,
“Tielemans just guides it down the middle. The weight is excellent, and then McGinn’s touch allows him to curl it around the goalkeeper.”
All in all, Saturday’s performance was a perfect response to Villa’s 4-1 loss against Arsenal on Tuesday, and their title hopes are still firmly alive, but not a priority.
Boubacar Kamara so often the unsung hero for Aston Villa
Tielemans and McGinn often steal the plaudits for Villa, but Kamara has been getting his flowers only in the last few months.
The Frenchman was suspended against Arsenal, and his absence was definitely felt as Villa lost their way in the second half of that match.
Kamara joined Aston Villa on a free transfer in 2022, and it is clear to see that he is currently the most important midfielder at the club.
The 26-year-old has been exceptional this season, breaking up play and making line-breaking passes to Villa’s front men.
After playing a crucial role in the win over Forest, it’s only a matter of time before he starts getting wider recognition on the European scale.
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