Aston Villa 4-2 Nottingham Forest

Aston Villa got back to winning ways at Villa Park with a strong showing against Nottingham Forest on Saturday.

The hosts set about their opponents from the first whistle and took a fourth-minute lead when Ollie Watkins tapped home Leon Bailey’s centre.

A dominant first half display saw Douglas Luiz bag a brace before Forest hit back with their first shot in target via Moussa Niakhaté in stoppage time.

The Reds made a fast start to the second half and pulled within a goal when Morgan Gibbs-White chipped home after 48 minutes.

But Villa quashed the comeback when Bailey scored his 11^th goal of the season, earning his team consecutive Premier League wins.

Head coach Unai Emery kept faith with the team that beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage last weekend and he was rewarded inside the opening four minutes as Villa raced out of the blocks.

John McGinn was given time to turn in midfield, setting Bailey racing away down the right with a through ball. A deft touch from the winger took Murillo out of the game before he put the ball on a plate for Watkins, who made no mistake from six yards out.

Forest were reeling and were only spared from falling two behind by a crucial block from Niakhaté, who was in the right place to stop Watkins’ goalbound shot.

The hosts were controlling the tempo with their patient approach, upping the ante decisively when they sensed an opportunity to attack. One such moment saw Villa work the ball through the thirds before Bailey’s low shot drew a save from Matz Sels.

The Jamaican was involved again soon after when the home side netted their second of the afternoon.

Bailey slid a pass through to Matty Cash, who got to the byline before pulling the ball back to Jacob Ramsey. The midfielder’s opportunity to shoot closed quickly and he instinctively laid the ball back to Luiz, with the Brazilian sweeping a shot into the bottom corner.

Villa Park was enjoying every minute as the flow of attacks towards Forest’s goal continued, and a third goal duly arrived before half-time. Luiz was given the freedom of the penalty box to measure a header beyond Sels, turning home McGinn’s delicious inswinging cross.

The first half scoring didn’t end there, however, as the visitors gave themselves a lifeline when Niakhaté chested home from Taiwo Awoniyi’s header back across goal in stoppage time.

Nuno Espiríto Santo made a triple change at the break and saw his tweaks pay immediate dividends as Forest pulled themselves back within a goal.

Substitute Divock Origi feigned to shoot before sliding a ball through to Gibbs-White, who coolly chipped Emi Martínez.

Villa quickly set about restoring their two-goal lead and were inches away from doing so when Youri Tielemans’ shot struck a post after great work by Álex Moreno.

The team’s fourth goal of the afternoon arrived soon after when Bailey tapped home a loose ball, owing much to the pressing off Tielemans and Watkins in the build up.

The goal dealt a hammer blow to Forest and their travelling fans, who fell silent as Villa began to control proceedings once again.

Cash and Watkins saw shots fly wide as the home team looked for a fifth, but they settled for four goals and three points as the final whistle ended a run of three consecutive defeats at home.