Aston Villa’s Champions League lift evaporated quickly in the Premier League, where Unai Emery’s side were beaten by Nottingham Forest and left staring at a bleak early-season table.
Key takeaways
- Villa have taken one point from four league fixtures, losing three times.
- The Birmingham club have scored only once and conceded seven goals.
- Mats Selz made a vital double save inside the opening five minutes.
- Alysson’s late header was Villa’s first Premier League goal of the campaign.
- Igor Jesus struck in the 88th minute to give Forest their first win of the season.
- Forest moved into 11th place on five points, while Villa sit second from bottom.
A familiar Premier League problem for Emery
Villa ought to have had the afternoon under control almost before it had begun. Two chances arrived in quick succession during the opening five minutes, but Selz produced an outstanding double stop to deny them the opening goal.
That moment proved costly. The home side could not turn their early pressure into anything tangible and, after the interval, found themselves behind. Liam Delap collected the ball on the edge of the box, beat a defender and sent a left-footed effort beyond Suzuki.
It took Villa around 20 minutes to settle after the setback. With 15 minutes remaining, Alysson attacked the near post and headed in the equaliser, finally ending the club’s wait for a first league goal this term.
It was not a result to set the claret-and-blue end singing all the way home, but a draw would at least have halted the slide. Instead, another difficult afternoon found one final way to worsen.
Forest find a late winner
In the 88th minute, Oliver Glasner’s side worked the ball down the right through Daniel Muñoz. Morgan Gibbs-White supplied the final pass and Igor Jesus finished the move to send the points to Nottingham.
The defeat leaves Villa with a single point, one goal scored and seven conceded after four rounds. They are currently 19th, and could finish the weekend at the foot of the division should Coventry City pick up a point.
For Forest, it was a first league victory of the campaign and a useful climb to 11th with five points. Villa, meanwhile, return to the training ground with a Champions League win already feeling like a different week.
