Leon Bailey idolised Thierry Henry and Ronaldinho growing up and produced a display worth of those modern greats to strengthen Aston Villa’s bid for Champions League football.
From near outcast to main man, Bailey’s transformation has been incredible this season and the Villa winger was electric again here, taking full advantage of Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo’s bizarre decision to pick centre-back Moussa Niakhate on the left of his back four.
In front of Villa co-owner Nassef Sawiris, Bailey created the opener for Ollie Watkins inside four minutes and Villa were cruising thanks to Douglas Luiz’s first-half double. Yet goals either side of half-time from Niakhate and Morgan Gibbs-White gave Villa the jitters, eased only when Bailey scored the fourth soon after an hour.
Forest were trying to build on their impressive 2-0 win over West Ham this weekend but suffered the worst possible start. With makeshift left-back Moussa Niakhate nowhere to be seen, Leon Bailey nutmegged Murillo and then steered the ball through the legs of Felipe to Watkins, who tapped into an empty net.
At the other end, Callum Hudson-Odoi skied a half-chance yet it was not long before Forest were in danger again. Collecting the ball from Alex Moreno, Jacob Ramsey swapped passes with Watkins and teed up the Villa centre-forward again, with Niakhate making a crucial block. Villa were rampant now and at the end of a slick passing move, Matz Sels just about kept out Bailey’s low effort at the near post.
Douglas Luiz’s (R) brace put Aston Villa three goals to the good against Nottingham Forest
Ollie Watkins got yet another goal within four minutes to open the scoring for the hosts
Nottingham Forest defender Moussa Niakhate got a goal back in first-half stoppage time
Forest were convinced Clement Lenglet had brought down Taiwo Awoniyi as he looked to go through, but nothing was given. Who knows what their new referees analyst Mark Clattenburg, watching from the stands, made of it.
MATCH STATS AND RATINGS
Aston Villa (4-4-1-1): Martinez 6.5; Cash 5.5, Lenglet 5.5, Torres 7.5 (Chambers 46, 6), Moreno 6 (Digne 59, 6.5); Bailey 8.5 (Diaby 90+2), McGinn 7, Luiz 7.5, Ramsey 7.5; Tielemans 7.5 (Zaniolo 82); Watkins 8 (Rogers 90+2).
Subs not used: Gauci, Olsen, Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam.
Goals: Watkins 4′, Douglas Luiz 29′, 39′, Bailey 61′
Booked: Moreno
Manager: Unai Emery
Nottingham Forest (4-2-3-1): Sels 6; Williams 6.5, Felipe 4 (Omobamidele 46, 6), Murillo 4.5 (Toffolo 46, 6), Niakhate 6; Dominguez 5 (Yates 73, 6), Danilo 6; Elanga 6, Gibbs-White 7 (Reyna 81), Hudson-Odoi 6; Awoniyi 6 (Origi 46, 7).
Subs not used: Turner, Kouyate, Montiel, Duarte Ribeiro.
Goals: Niakhate 45+5′, Gibbs-White 48′
Booked: Murillo, Felipe
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo
Referee: Sam Barrott (West Yorkshire)
Attendance: 42,422
The visitors were doubly angry when Villa made it two just before the half-hour. Matty Cash found Ramsey inside the box and his square pass was thumped home by Luiz from close to the penalty spot.
By then Forest skipper Morgan Gibbs-White had seen enough. He gathered his team-mates around him and seemed to berate Felipe, who responded just as forcefully. Then on the Villa bench, Emery appeared to turn on substitute Lucas Digne for not watching the game closely enough.
If Digne’s mind had wandered, it was understandable. Villa were dominant, particularly on their right, where Niakhate could not handle Bailey and was receiving little help from Hudson-Odoi. It was only a matter of time before the third arrived, Luiz heading home unmarked from John McGinn’s cross after Nicolas Dominguez’s poor headed clearance.
At that stage it felt as though Villa could score at will. Then in the final minute of first-half stoppage time, Forest won a corner on the right. Gibbs-White found Awoniyi at the far post, and the Nigerian’s header was bundled over the line by Niakhate.
Nuno Espirito Santo made a triple change at the break, reconfiguring his back four and bringing on Divock Origi for Awoniyi. Stationed on the right, Origi’s clever pass put Gibbs-White through and – played onside by Matty Cash – the England Under-21 international lifted the ball calmly over Martinez. Game on.
It should have been 3-3 when Origi sent Anthony Elanga clear only for the wide man to steer well wide. At the other end, Forest got lucky when Moreno barged beyond Neco Williams and cut back for Youri Tielemans, who wrong-footed Sels but hit the post.
Pau Torres’ departure at half-time had left Calum Chambers alongside Lenglet in the middle – Villa’s weakest centre-back pairing with four others unavailable. Villa Park was growing tense and Moreno was booked for hauling back Williams as he charged towards the box.
Morgan Gibbs-White also scored for Forest just after half-time to bring it back to 3-2
Unai Emery’s side have been in a good run of form, and had a dominant first half on Saturday
Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest side showed character despite going 3-0 down
Suddenly, relief. Forest sub Andrew Omobamidele played Danilo into trouble, Tielemans nicked the ball and found Watkins. The forward held off Omobamidele and though Sels denied him, Bailey was there to guide in the fourth.
Forest did not lose heart though and continued to look dangerous. Hudson-Odoi wasted two good opportunities, one skied into the Holte End and the other fired too close to Emi Martinez, making his 150th league appearance for Villa.
Soon afterwards Ryan Yates replaced the disappointing Dominguez and put a tough volleyed chance wide from Gibbs-White’s clever free-kick.
