Aston Villa 2-0 Nottingham Forest: Villa close in on Europe
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Aston Villa now sit only six points away from Europa League qualification
In-form Aston Villa maintained their push for European football next season with victory over relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest at Villa Park.
Villa have now won 11 of 17 games since Unai Emery took charge, with victory here their fourth in succession.
It had been a testing first half for Emery's men as the hosts struggled to get a foothold in the match, with Forest proving equal to their efforts.
Villa came closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening period when Ollie Watkins forced Keylor Navas into a stop from close range but chances were otherwise limited.
The game's opening goal could not have come easier for the hosts, though, as Bertrand Traore curled past Navas after Jonjo Shelvey cleared the ball into the path of the Villa man shortly after the restart.
Watkins sealed the result in the final minute of added time, chipping into the net after playing a one-two with Jacob Ramsey.
Forest's poor run of form leaves them 18th, inside the relegation zone on goal difference.
Villa, meanwhile, are six points off fifth-placed Tottenham with eight games remaining.
Villa's fortunes continue to improve
Aston Villa 2-0 Nottingham Forest: Villa need to improve to qualify for Europe - Emery
Emery has masterminded a complete turnaround of Villa's fortunes since taking the reins in October.
They had won just two of their opening 11 matches before the Spaniard's arrival but are now firmly in the mix at the top end of the table.
They struggled to cause any real issues in the scrappy first half, Alex Moreno's frequent forays down the wing one of their few bright attacking sparks.
Their confidence was much-improved after Traore's goal, though, and their performance finally sprung into life.
Emi Buendia came inches away from extending the hosts' advantage after Moreno charged past the defence but the Argentine sliced just wide of the near post.
Watkins' goal added to his own fine run of form, netting his ninth in 11 games.
Emery told BBC Sport: "Ollie is working very well and his commitment with the team is very important.
"When he's scoring we're very happy for him. He's helping with his quality. Everybody is supporting him, trying to assist him, like today how Jacob Ramsey decided to assist him.
"Ollie is scoring and for him, [it's] very good."
Villa have already surpassed last season's points tally and Emery will be hoping his side can maintain the pressure on the league's top sides throughout the run-in.
Forest drop into relegation zone
Aston Villa 2-0 Nottingham Forest: Forest 'only have ourselves to blame' - Cooper
Forest are in freefall, with Steve Cooper's side now without a win in nine Premier League matches.
Some confidence will have been generated by the fact they shut out high-flying Villa in the first half, but they could not keep up the pace for the full 90 minutes.
They showed some moments of life, Brennan Johnson's footwork on the right in particular causing problems for the hosts, while Shelvey provided some promising deliveries.
But they only managed two shots on target as they fell to a potentially damaging defeat for their manager.
Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis backed Cooper's position as manager earlier this week but said that "results and performances must improve immediately".
Such improvements were nowhere to be seen at Villa Park, and their dire form means the pressure will continue to mount on the Forest boss.
Forest fans chanted Cooper's name in support of the manager as the teams came out for the game.
"That's the bit that hurts the most, that we and I are desperate to do well for the supporters and the club," he told BBC Sport after the game.
"It makes these moments and these mistakes and these goals even more costly and even more hurtful.
"I repeat what I've said, we can blame nobody but ourselves because of the mistakes we made."
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