The Premier League season is entering kitchen sink territory, and though Aston Villa were held to a draw against Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday, they have shimmied away from Chelsea, who were beaten against Manchester City later in the day.
This is all important. The Villans are fourth in the league and now seven points ahead of sixth-place Chelsea, and this means that Champions League qualification is starting to look like a realistic prospect for Unai Emery's side.
They have been effortless and breezy at times this season, attritional and durable at others. The latter is certainly true for Villa's form over the past few months, but it may well be enough.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery reacts
However, there's no denying that the Midlands side are missing some of their vim and vigour, and the likes of Morgan Rogers need to return to form.
Morgan Rogers needs to refind his feet for Aston Villa
Rogers, 23, has grown into one of the Premier League's most dangerous attacking midfielders over the past several years, an instrumental part of Aston Villa's emergence as a European contender.
However, the England star is perhaps a little burned out, lacking the sharpness and sureness that has characterised so much of his time at Villa Park. Against Forest, this was the case: he looked sloppy and fired over from close range.
In fairness, it was Rogers' whipped delivery that caused Murillo to score an own goal in the first half, but that was a moment in isolation for an attacking talisman who failed to pull his weight.
Morgan Rogers vs Nott'm Forest
Match Stats
Minutes played
Goals + assists
Touches
Shots (on target)
Accurate passes
Chances created
Crosses
Succ. dribbles
Ball recoveries
Tackles + interceptions
Duels won
However, Rogers isn't the only one who needs to click back into gear from an attacking standpoint. It's an issue Emery will need his squad to overcome in the race for top-four/five while chasing down the Europa League title besides.
Rogers-Onana-Barkley-Aston-Villa
Emery must finally ditch Aston Villa star
Aston Villa have been brilliant since Emery replaced Steven Gerrard, and Ollie Watkins has been the arbiter of the club's attacking success.
However, he's not been in top form this season, and that was illustrated across a testing afternoon in Nottingham.
It was by no means a disastrous performance from the striker, but he's not been at his best this season and it might be worthwhile to bring Tammy Abraham into the starting line-up when Villa host Sunderland next weekend in the Premier League.
Aside from a winter purple patch, Watkins' efforts in the Premier League have yielded mixed results, and his latest goalless showing means he has scored only twice across 11 league outings. Moreover, he has missed 16 big chances altogether, bagging nine times.
Ollie Watkins in the Premier League
Season
25/26
24/25
23/24
22/23
21/22
20/21
This weekend was another to have seen Watkins leave something to be desired. He only took 25 touches, about half of Marco Bizot's between the sticks, and he also lost possession ten times, emphasising a wasteful and ineffective display.
Watkins is still a top Premier League striker, but like Rogers, he needs to do more if Villa hope to make this a first-class finish to the campaign.
Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins
Watkins is hardly finished yet, but he's also not untouchable at number nine. Aston Villa and Emery have options, and the draw at Forest probably should have seen the Three Lions star replaced by his attacking countryman a little earlier than the 85th minute. Maybe it would have changed the game.
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Aston Villa face Nottingham Forest looking to strengthen their grip on a top four spot.