Aston Villa prepared for a glamorous midweek Champions League trip to Paris with a victory that keeps alive their hopes of qualifying for next season’s competition via the Premier League although Nuno Espírito Santo must wonder how.
His side, without a regular striker due to injuries, dominated second half proceedings and pulled a goal back through Jota Silva, cancelling out Villa’s two early efforts, but could not convert another of the host of chances that came their way.
Forest were, presumably, still getting to grips with their re-shuffled formation that did not contain an orthodox number nine by the time they found themselves two goals down, inside the opening 15 minutes.