Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction
Follow all the action from Villa Park
Follow live coverage as Aston Villa face Nottingham Forest today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
CLOSE! Prepared to take another attempt at goal, this time from closer in, Williams fires well wide. Moments later, Hudson-Odoi finds some space and whips a low shot narrowly wide of the right-hand post, with Martinez diving down at full stretch!
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Wasting a set-piece opportunity midway through Villa's half, Murillo lays the ball off to Williams, who then drives a hopeful shot past the right-hand post by some distance.
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Aston Villa kick off, and we are back under way at Villa Park!
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Substitution Anthony David Junior Elanga João Pedro Ferreira Silva
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Substitution Andrés García Robledo Ezri Ngoyo Konsa
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
There must be a strong chance that Nuno makes some changes during the interval - if not in terms of personnel, at least tactically. His team were so easily exploited in the opening stages, before tightening up as the first half wore on. But, trailing by two, Forest must also go for goals. It'll be a tough balance to strike. For their part, Villa have lost just one of the last 49 Premier League games in which they've lead by at least two at half-time - winning 45 - so they are firmly on track for maximum points.
Aston Villa vs Nottingham Forest
Fully capitalising on a shaky start by Nottingham Forest, in-form Aston Villa lead 2-0 at half-time in this Premier League contest between two Midlands rivals. Putting the Villans on track for a seventh straight win, Rogers coolly slotted home when left free by Forest's slack defence before - less than two minutes later - Malen tapped in Maatsen's superb cross. An uncharacteristically uncertain display from the visitors still featured a few typical counter-attacks, but Elanga and Hudson-Odoi both fired decnt chances wide. Nuno's men have a half-time xG of 0.33, compared to Villa's 1.22, so the scoreline is a fair reflection of events so far. Even making eight changes, Emery has forged a side that has been hungry and coherent, and they are within 45 minutes of pulling level with fifth-placed Manchester City.
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