Nottingham Forest 1 Aston Villa 3 - Report and pictures

This win was their third on the spin and by far the most impressive of the bunch as they over-powered Nottingham Forest to leap above their Midland rivals in the table and to within two points of the top six.

John McGinn’s first-half double, on his return to the starting line-up, together with Kortney Hause’s first Villa goal saw Dean Smith’s men cruise to victory at City Ground.

All that after Jack Colback’s freak third minute opener had briefly put Forest ahead.

A fixture which delivered 10 goals when the two sides first met in November saw three in the first 15 minutes as Villa quickly overturned the deficit with a performance full of attacking swagger.

Not since the 3-0 win over Middlesbrough at the start of December have they looked so cohesive on the road.

Tony Pulis’s men now visit Villa Park on Saturday for another play-off six-pointer, a game which Smith’s men enter knowing victory could push them into the top six going into the international break.

For a team many were writing off only a few weeks ago, it has been quite the turnaround.

The return of Jack Grealish has been the obvious catalyst and the playmaker was again in scintillating form.

Yet he was upstaged on this occasion by McGinn, who doubled his tally for the season with two excellently finished goals. Conor Hourihane also impressed in a dynamic Villa midfield.

McGinn was one of two changes to the team which started against Blues.

Andre Green was the other man introduced, the pair replacing Glenn Whelan and Albert Adomah in a mirror of Smith’s second half substitutions at St Andrew’s.

There had been some debate pre-match as to whether Smith would restore McGinn to the line-up or stick with Whelan, arguably Villa’s most consistent performer over the past month.

Ultimately the decision was vindicated within 15 minutes as the Scot first drew Villa level after Colback had opened the scoring, before then firing them in front.

It was no more than Smith’s men deserved after an impressive opening in which they were unfortunate to concede a freak goal as Forest, just as they had at Villa Park, broke the deadlock within three minutes.

There was nothing unlucky about the build-up which featured a wonderful, mazy run by Lolley through the heart of the Villa midfield.

He found Colback on the left, who looked to be attempting a cross but instead sent the ball drifting over Jed Steer and inside the far post.

Villa found themselves behind for the first time in three games but their response could not have been better.

Within four minutes they were level as McGinn latched on to a lumped Ahmed Elmohamady pass down the flank and then showed superb skill to cut inside Osborn with his first two touches, before drilling a low finish past Costel Pantilimon with the second.

The visitors then thought they had taken the lead when Anwar El Ghazi stooped to head home a deep Grealish free-kick at the far post, only for the celebrations to be cut short by a raised assistant’s flag.

In the end they only had to wait a little longer, as McGinn grabbed his second on 15 minutes.

Neil Taylor saw a shot blocked by Tendayi Darikwa and when the ball broke for McGinn, he drilled in off the post from 25 yards.

For several minutes after that Smith’s men were in complete control as the midfield trio of McGinn, Grealish and Hourihane gave their Forest counterparts the run around.

Lolley remained the home side’s best outlet and he almost created something from nothing with a deep cross which evaded the Villa defence. Yet Pele, arriving at the far post, was unable to keep down his finish.

Instead it was Villa who would go closer to scoring again before the break. Green showed great skill to win the ball and then speed down the right and deliver a cross for Abraham. The striker took a touch before hitting a shot which Pantilimon, scrambling, was just able to tip round the post.

Forest thought they had equalised early in the second half but Yohan Benalouane’s header, from a Lolley corner, ruled out for a foul.

Villa took time to rediscover their rhythm but when they did, duly extended their lead just past the hour mark.

Grealish, who had been fouled four times inside the first 20 minutes of the match, was scythed down by Alexsander Milosevic on the left wing. When Hourihane whipped the free-kick in low, Hause applied the final touch for his first goal since January, 2017.

It was a strike which took the wind out of Forest’s sails and it was only in the final 10 minutes they seriously threatened Villa again.

Lolley was again the instigator, whipping in a vicious cross which substitute Daryl Murphy looked certain to convert, only for the striker to send his finish straight at Steer.

Villa could have won by more. But substitute Jonathan Kodjia saw an effort creep wide of the far post, while Pantilimon denied McGinn a hat-trick when he saved with his legs.

Teams

Forest (4-1-2-1-2): Pantilimon, Darikwa, Benalouane, Milosevic, Osborn, Pele (Guedioura 71), Yates (Goncalves 76), Colback ©, Lolley, Ansarifard (Murphy 62), Carvalho Subs not used: Guedioura, Watson, Wague, Bonatini, Steele (gk).

Villa (4-3-3): Steer, Elmohamady, Hause, Mings, Taylor, Hourihane, McGinn, Grealish (Whelan 87), Green, Abraham (Kodjia 72), El Ghazi (Adomah 64) Subs not used: Carroll, Jedinak, Bjarnason, Kalinic (gk).