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PA
Villa unable to find a winner at the City Ground.
This was another step along the road to Champions League qualification for Villa, yet nagging sense was they should have taken a bigger stride.
A point at Nottingham Forest ensures Unai Emery’s team maintained momentum following three straight wins either side of the international break.
Yet by the finish, they really should have made it four in a row, Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins both spurning big second half chances to earn a first Premier League win at the City Ground since 1995.
Watkins, who had been denied by Forest keeper Matz Sels, shortly after Rogers’ thumped cross had forced Murillo to put through his own net, fired over from just inside the box with 10 minutes remaining.
That came after Rogers had missed the target from just seven yards out earlier in the second period.
Forest also had their chances. Marco Bizot, who stepped into the line-up late after Emi Martinez pulled out in the warm-up, saved from Neco Williams and then did superbly to prevent Morgan Gibbs-White’s deflected effort from crossing the line. The keeper had earlier been beaten by Williams’ fizzing effort, which levelled the scores seven minutes before the break.
It was Villa, however, who finished the stronger, Sels denying Matty Cash a winner on the right-back’s latest return to his former club with a late save.
This was just the eighth point Emery’s men have dropped this season from a winning position, though the one earned did move them seven clear of sixth-placed Chelsea, who face Manchester City later on Sunday.
Martinez was announced in the starting line-up but 15 minutes before kick-off Villa confirmed it would instead be Bizot taking the gloves.
It was the third time this season the Dutch shot-stopper had been asked to step in at short notice. He also replaced Martinez off the bench at half-time in January’s 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace.
Bizot’s first action of the afternoon saw him push wide a curling Williams effort which looked as though it was already heading off-target.
A more important intervention then saw him palm away an inviting Williams cross with Igor Jesus lurking at the far post.
Yet otherwise, the visitors were comfortable and had already threatened themselves, John McGinn poking an effort wide of the target, before taking the lead midway through the half.
Ross Barkley, finding increasing time on the ball, found Lucas Digne on the left, who rolled a pass into Rogers. His fierce, first-time cross seemed to take the defence by surprise and Murillo could not adjust his feet before it struck him and rolled over the line.
Things almost got even better immediately for Villa. A sweeping move again involving Barkley saw Rogers play in Watkins. The striker’s first touch was good but Sels was quickly out to block the finish behind. Though the flag was immediately raised, replays suggested Watkins was well onside.
Villa were finding acres of space in the final third. McGinn found Rogers in the box and he took a touch before unleashing a drive which flicked off the top of the bar.
Forest were posing little threat, yet there was almost a sense the visitors were finding it too easy and slack play in their own half, ultimately led to the home side pulling level.
Twice Villa were guilty of losing possession and when Aina’s cross found Hudson-Odoi, he laid the ball off to Williams, who struck a fierce drive underneath McGinn’s attempted block and inside the post.
Suddenly, Forest had renewed life and Williams, clearly full of confidence, attempted to repeat the trick before the break, this time Bizot getting down to make the save.
The hosts continued to look bright early in the second half and Jesus perhaps should have done better with a Hudson-Odoi cross which was headed into the ground and over the bar.
Tielemans shot wide for Villa but then lost the ball in his own half and was relieved to see Jesus wasteful again, the forward this time blasting over from outside the box.
Amadou Onana tested Sels from outside the box but it was Bizot who was the busier keeper, pulling off his best save of the day to that point when he adjusted his left leg to stop Gibbs-White’s deflected effort creeping past him.
Villa began to look bright again. Sels came to Forest’s rescue when he palmed a curling McGinn shot wide, before Rogers missed a glorious chance to put his team back in front, blazing over from seven yards out after the keeper had failed to hold Barkley’s driven cross.
Emery brought on Emi Buendia as part of a triple change and his first act was to play Watkins through on goal. With just Sels to beat, the striker hammered his first-time effort over the bar.
Villa continued to push for a winner but Sels came to Forest’s rescue again when he turned Cash’s bouncing effort wide.
Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels, Aina, Murillo, Milenkovic, Williams, Sangare, Anderson, Hutchinson (Wood 65), Gibbs-White (Dominguez 84), Hudson-Odoi, Jesus (Yates 89) Subs not used: Morato, Ndoye, McAtee, Netz, Bakwa, Ortega (gk).
Villa (4-2-3-1): Bizot, Cash (Garcia 90+1), Lindelof, Torres, Digne (Maatsen 78), Barkley (Luiz 78), Onana, McGinn, Tielemans, Rogers (Buendia 78), Watkins (Abraham 87) Subs not used: Konsa, Bogarde, Bailey, Martinez (gk).
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