Aston Villa 3 Nottingham Forest 1: John McGinn hits two as Villa bounce back

Ollie Watkins marked his 250th appearance for the club by opening the scoring seconds before half-time.

McGinn then doubled the advantage early in the second half, before Morgan Gibbs-White pulled one back for Forest.

But McGinn then made the points safe when he took advantage of a huge blunder by goalkeeper John Victor to ensure Unai Emery’s men made a winning start to 2026.

Analysis

The Scotland international scored into an empty net after the Brazilian shot-stopper bizarrely chose to race out of his goal, only to be left stranded in no-man’s land.

It gifted McGinn his first double for Villa since he netted a brace in a 3-1 win over Forest at the City Ground in March, 2019.

The win - and the margin of it - was no more than Villa deserved after a dominant display in which Gibbs-White goal gave them only momentary alarm.

Emery’s men, thumped 4-1 at Arsenal in midweek to end an 11-match winning run, are back to within three points of the Gunners and above Manchester City, who host Chelsea on Sunday.

This was Villa's 11th straight home win in all competitions, the first time they have achieved the feat since 1990 when they finished second in Division One.

Villa had played a montage of Watkins’ best moments before the match to mark his landmark appearance and within two minutes he should have been celebrating a goal.

Nico Williams dawdled on the ball, Morgan Rogers pounced and the ball fell perfectly for Watkins six yards out. A goal looked inevitable but John Victor spread himself superbly to keep out the shot with his legs.

That set the tone for a dominant first half from the hosts but for all Villa’s possession, chances were at a premium.

Ian Maatsen shot wide from distance, yet it was Emi Martinez who was forced into the next save, diving to his left to parry Omari Hutchinson’s curling effort following a rare Forest attack.

The visitors looked to have reached half-time level but with just seconds to go, Watkins broke the deadlock. 

Boubacar Kamara headed a clearance into the path of Rogers and he found Watkins, who took a touch before blasting an effort past Victor from 20 yards out. 

The keeper got fingertips to the effort and will maybe feel he might have done better.

Yet there was nothing he could do about McGinn’s goal which doubled the lead inside the opening four minutes of the second half.

Tielemans robbed a dozing Dilane Bakwa and Kamara picked out cash, who sent a low cross into the box which McGinn turned home right-footed.

Bakwa missed a good chance to bring Forest quickly back into it when he headed wide at the far post.

Buendia then sent a free-kick just wide for Villa but it was Forest who did strike next, Gibbs-White beating the offside trap to race on to Bakwa’s through ball and lift a finish over Martinez.

Emery brought Jadon Sancho on to try and give his team some added firepower but it was McGinn who scored again to restore the lead, with a huge help from John Victor.

Tielemans lifted a ball over the top for the skipper, who looked up to find the Forest keeper miles off his line. McGinn kept his cool to finish into the empty net, while John Victor left the field in tears having apparently suffered an injury during his kamikaze run out of goal.

Key Moments

45+1 GOAL Ollie Watkins opens the scoring with a vicious strike from 20 yards out.

49 GOAL John McGinn doubles the lead, converting Matty Cash’s cross.

61 GOAL Morgan Gibbs-White lifts a finish over Emi Martinez after beating the offside trap to reduce the deficit.

73 GOAL McGinn gets his second as John Victor comes racing out of goal. 

Teams

Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash (Garcia 90), Konsa, Lindelof, Maatsen (Digne 68), Kamara, Tielemans, McGinn (Bogarde 83), Buendia (Sancho 68), Rogers, Watkins (Malen 83) Subs not used: Garcia, Carroll, Hemmings, Jimoh-Aloba, Bizot (gk).

Forest (4-2-3-1): Victor (Sels 78), Aina (Savona 69), Milenkovic, Murillo, Williams, Anderson, Dominguez (Luiz 84), Bakwa (McAtee 69), Gibbs-White, Hutchinson, Jesus (Kalimuendo 84) Subs not used: Morato, Awoniyi, Zinchenko, Abbott, Sels (gk).