Nottinghamshire

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

Here are some of your comments:

Villa fans

Ian: Talk about a game of two halves! In control in the first half, but should have kept on the front foot and got the third goal to kill game off. But fair play to a very good Forest team, who could have won it in the second half. Eight changes from our last game shows our strength in depth and highlights how far we have come under Unai Emery. We have kept the dream alive, with a massive game at PSG in the week ahead. Keep the faith.

Jay: Difference between the two teams was Forest had no finisher and their bench was lacking in players to change the game. Emery's substitution of Garcia actually gave them more attacking space as Axel Disasi sat back. A worthy win. Despite the number of wild shots they had in the second half, we had better quality chances to finish it, which weren't needed in the end.

Mark: Make eight changes against third in the league and come away with three points... Unai is a genius.

Emma: What momentum we have! Also, having a full squad and being able to rotate is really helping. Unai Emery is one of the best managers. Now go and do us supporters proud against PSG.

Forest fans

Michael: As Jimmy Greaves would say, it was a game of two halves. Forest set up in the first half to accommodate some injuries, but it turned out to be all wrong and Villa ruthlessly exposed that inside two minutes. The second half was exactly what you would expect from Forest and they played so much better. Too bad both strikers were out injured.

Gary: Disappointed not to take something from the game as the overall performance was good. A terrible start caused by defence changes, which ultimately cost us at least a point. I'm still positive for the remaining games and we should able to pick up enough points to qualify for Europe.

Keith: Shambolic defending yet again. We are lacking a leader. Also there are now more question marks around the goalkeeper.

Mossy: Cannot begrudge that win by Aston Villa. They are the template for how Nottingham Forest should be next season. As for the remaining games, please no more injuries!

Gary Lineker presents highlights and analysis from Saturday's five Premier League fixtures.

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• Crystal Palace 2-1 Brighton

• Aston Villa 2-1 Nottingham Forest

Phil McNulty
Chief football writer

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Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo suffered the disappointment of defeat to Aston Villa, but consolation will come from an outstanding second half performance.

Nuno will have hoped to round-off a perfect week, that has seen Forest secure an FA Cup semi-final place against Manchester City at Wembley and keep on course for their dream of reaching next season's Champions League with victory over Manchester United at The City Ground, with a good result at Villa Park.

It was not to be though, after a poor start saw Aston Villa go 2-0 up in 15 minutes through goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen.

This was a nightmare opening but Forest's performance afterwards showed exactly why they have been this season's Premier League surprise package.

Instead of subsiding under Villa's pressure, Forest launched a fierce fightback which could have brought rewards before the interval, with Anthony Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi only inches off target.

And Forest continued to pressurise Villa after the break, showing they can take the initiative as well as employ their trademark counter-attacking game.

Jota Silva pulled one back before Murillo almost earned Forest a point when he thundered a 30-yard drive against the bar in the closing moments.

Forest had 19 shots - two more than Villa - but were not clinical enough with only three shots on target.

Nuno's side still remain in prime position to reach the Champions League next season, something almost unthinkable before the start of the season, as they sit five points ahead of Chelsea in fourth having played one game more.

This was a setback - but there was more than enough in how they responded to a dreadful start to give Forest and their supporters encouragement for the remainder of the campaign, as proven by the ovation they received after the final whistle.

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Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams has been speaking to Sky Sports about the defeat at Villa Park: "The first half let us down, we weren't good enough in the first 15 minutes especially. They created way more chances and dominated. We came in at half-time and things had to change.

"In the second half, we created many chances but it is the goals you need and unfortunately we just couldn't get them today. It's frustrating. We created many chances, we just couldn't get it over the line, but the positives are there.

"That's what let us down [the first-half performance]. We are usually so compact and strong in the first 15 minutes, because that's when teams can get at you. That's what killed us.

"The reaction we showed was positive but it was just not enough.

"We will be straight back in to do our recovery and back on the grass to work towards Everton, another massive game. The final games are huge for us."

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Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to Sky Sports about the defeat: "We didn't start well, Aston Villa controlled our chances. The second half was different, we had the chances but we couldn't score. The first half was not good, we were not organised."

On the changes he made at half-time: "We tried to find solutions. The boys showed a better game. It was one of the matches that we created the most in but didn't take anything from the game.

"When you lose, you don't recover so well. The miles come to your mind. It's always easy when you are in a good moment. Now it is not so good and it requires a bit of patience."

On his missing players: "I don't know [when they will be back]. It is going to be day-to-day. He [Taiwo Awoniyi] felt something in his hamstring."

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Nottingham Forest have lost four of their last five Premier League away games (W1), having lost just two of their first 11 games on the road this season (W7 D2).

Having failed to score in any of his first 22 Premier League appearances, Jota Silva has since scored in three of his last four. All three of his goals have come as a substitute since the turn of the year, with no player netting more goals from the bench in 2025 (level with Fulham's Rodrigo Muniz).

Were you at Villa Park or following from elsewhere?

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