Nuno: First-half performance cost Nottingham Forest in defeat to Aston Villa

Nottingham Forest caput manager Nuno Espirito Santo believed his side’s first-half show outgo them dearly successful their 2-1 decision distant to Aston Villa.

The hosts were 2 goals up wrong the opening 15 minutes connected Saturday, with Forest struggling to header successful the opening period.

But they managed to stem Villa’s attacks and get backmost into proceedings successful the 2nd half, with Jota Silva halving the shortage connected 57 minutes. While Nuno was encouraged by the mode the visitors picked up successful the 2nd 45, helium concluded the show arsenic a full was not bully enough.

He told Sky Sports aft the game: “We didn’t commencement good and Villa controlled chances. The 2nd fractional was different. We had the chances but we couldn’t score. First fractional was not good, we were not organised.

“We tried to find solutions. The boys showed a amended crippled [after the break]. It was 1 of the matches that we created the astir but didn’t instrumentality thing from the game.

“When you suffer you don’t retrieve truthful well, the miles travel to your mind. It’s ever casual erstwhile you are successful a bully moment, Now is not truthful good, it requires a spot of patience.”

Forest subordinate Neco Williams was successful statement with his brag and shared his vexation astatine their dilatory commencement to the game.

“They created mode much chances and dominated,” helium said. “We came successful [at the break] and things had to change. Second half, we created galore chances but it’s the goals you request and unluckily we conscionable couldn’t get them.

“Frustrating. We created galore chances, we conscionable couldn’t get it implicit the enactment but the positives are there.”

Three points astatine Villa Park

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) April 5, 2025

Aston Villa caput manager Unai Emery, conversely, was delighted with his side’s first-half performance, but was disappointed with however they dropped disconnected successful the second.

“We started dominating,” helium said. “They were playing tactically, a medium-low artifact and we started dominating due to the fact that they were not pressing high, not getting out. We were creating chances and we scored goals.

“The 2nd half, I americium not happy. They were changing their tactics and taking much duels aggressively, pressing higher and we were not dominating similar we person to.

“But this triumph is precise important. Very blessed with the victory. Very demanding of myself to amended things within, but I americium blessed due to the fact that we person 3 points more.”

Morgan Rogers got Villa up and moving and helium said the Villa players acceptable retired knowing that they needed to commencement fast.

Rogers netted the opening extremity aft 13 minutes, which was besides his eighth of the play successful the Premier League, with Donyell Malen getting the 2nd soon after.

“We knew we had to commencement accelerated and we knew it was a must-win if we privation to get wherever we wanted to get successful the Premier League,” helium said.

“We were outstanding and deservedly got successful front. We knew they would travel backmost into it. They person got that prime but withstanding that unit is monolithic for us.”

Of his goal, Rogers added: “I saw [Forest defender] Morato not looking and erstwhile Youri Tielemans got the ball, I had to marque the move. He has the prime to prime maine retired from anywhere.

“I knew I had to marque definite the archetypal interaction was close to get the opportunity. It fell perfectly and I americium blessed to enactment it away.”

A 3rd consecutive league triumph means Villa are sixth successful the table, conscionable 1 constituent down Chelsea successful 4th and six distant from third-placed Forest with 7 games to play.