Aston Villa continued their incredible run of form with a 2-1 win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday — their seventh straight victory in all competitions — just days before a massive Champions League clash against Paris Saint-Germain.
Early goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen had Villa cruising within the first 15 minutes, sending a clear message: Unai Emery’s side is peaking at just the right time.
The win pushes Villa into the Premier League’s top six, level on points with Manchester City and just one behind Chelsea — making next season’s Champions League dreams more than just a possibility.
“We love the Champions League and the FA Cup, but the Premier League is our main mission — it’s how we get back to Europe next season,” Emery said post-match, already shifting his focus to Wednesday’s trip to Paris.
Villa’s performance was especially impressive considering Emery rested eight players from their midweek demolition of Brighton, clearly keeping PSG in mind. But the changes paid off:
- Rogers calmly slotted in a composed finish after a brilliant ball from Youri Tielemans.
- Malen then made it two, finishing off an inch-perfect cross from Ian Maatsen — his second goal in as many games.
Forest, still catching their breath after a dramatic FA Cup quarter-final win and a midweek draw with Man United, looked sluggish early on. But Nuno Espírito Santo’s halftime tweaks — especially bringing on Jota Silva — sparked a spirited second-half response.
Silva pulled one back in the 56th minute and Forest kept pushing. Elliott Anderson came close, and in stoppage time, Murillo rattled the crossbar with a thunderous long-range strike that nearly silenced Villa Park.
Despite the late scare, Villa held on — and now all eyes are on Paris.
“We’ve got momentum, belief, and quality,” said Malen after the game. “We’re ready for PSG.”
