Aston Villa Strengthens Grip On Fourth Place In Premier League With 4-2 Win Over Nottingham Forest – News18

BIRMINGHAM, England: Aston Villa strengthened its grip on fourth place within the Premier League with a pulsating 4-2 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

Villa has its sights firmly set on Champions League qualification and a primary house league win of 2024 noticed the group transfer 5 factors away from Tottenham in fifth and eight above Manchester United in sixth.

Ollie Watkins’ fourth-minute opener and two objectives from Douglas Luiz noticed Villa cruise right into a 3-0 lead, just for Forest to scare the hosts with objectives both aspect of halftime by means of Moussa Niakhate and Morgan Gibbs-White.

Leon Bailey struck on the hour to provide Villa respiratory area and Unai Emery’s group noticed the sport out to earn a cushion over the chasing golf equipment within the standings.

Forest was fortunate nonetheless to be within the recreation at halftime after being overrun within the first 40 minutes however improved after the break and had sufficient probabilities to scrape a degree, which might have been useful in its battle towards relegation.

Villa wanted lower than 4 minutes to go in entrance as Watkins scored his 14th of the season. This was one in all his best finishes, although, due to the work of Bailey, who gave him a easy faucet-in after being performed in down the proper and making gentle work of Murillo.

Villa’s second purpose got here simply earlier than the half-hour mark and once more was constructed on the proper as Matty Cash handed to Jacob Ramsey, who teed up Luiz to comb into the nook.

Forest captain Gibbs-White summoned his group for a huddle and gave an impassioned speech, nevertheless it had little affect as Villa went 3-0 up within the thirty ninth minute.

John McGinn despatched in a pleasant cross from a recycled nook for Luiz to plant a free header into the nook for his second of the match.

Forest pulled a purpose again in first-half stoppage time as Taiwo Awoniyi headed a nook again throughout purpose and Niakhate chested the ball over the road from shut vary.

The guests made three adjustments at halftime and it had the proper affect as they made it 3-2 shortly after the restart when substitute Divock Origi slipped Gibbs-White by means of and he clipped over goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

Moments later, it ought to have been 3-3 as Anthony Elanga was despatched clear by Origi however dragged his shot huge.

Villa took management once more on the hour mark to make it 4-2 when Youri Tielemans slipped in Watkins. When goalkeeper Matz Selz got here out to dam the unfastened ball, it fell to Bailey who had a easy faucet-in.

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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is revealed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)