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Aston Villa were dominant winners over Nottingham Forest despite Taiwo Awoniyi's assist for Nottingham Forest
Nigeria’s Taiwo Awoniyi grabbed an assist for Nottingham Forest but was ultimately on the losing side as Aston Villa surged past the Tricky Tees in a 4-2 victory, pushing themselves five points clear of Tottenham in the chase for a Champions League spot.
A brace from Douglas Luiz as well as goals from Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey were enough to give Aston Villa a deserved win despite Nottingham Forest finding the back of the net twice through Moussa Niakhate and Morgan Gibbs-White.
How it happened
The game kicked off with Aston Villa showcasing their intent from the very beginning. Ollie Watkins opened the scoring with his 14th goal of the season, setting the tone for what was to come. Douglas Luiz then added two more to the tally, his brace compounding Nottingham Forest's woes and leaving them staring down the barrel of a heavy defeat.
Despite the daunting task ahead, Forest found a glimmer of hope just before halftime. Taiwo Awoniyi, proving his worth once again, set up Moussa Niakhate to pull one back for the visitors. The goal injected some much-needed belief into the Forest side, hinting at a possible comeback.
The second half saw Forest further reduce the deficit to just one goal, thanks to Morgan Gibbs-White finding the net. Villa, having made a key substitution by taking off defender Pau Torres, appeared vulnerable for a spell.
However, any hopes of a Forest revival were dashed when Leon Bailey found the back of the net, restoring Aston Villa's two-goal lead. Anthony Elanga had a prime opportunity to narrow the margin once again but failed to convert, leaving Villa to secure all three points.
Aston Villa's next challenge sees them traveling to Luton, with the fixture set to be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League. Nottingham Forest, on the other hand, faces a daunting test against Liverpool, a match that will undoubtedly demand their best performance.
This victory for Aston Villa not only cements their position in the fight for European football but also sends a strong message to their competitors. Nottingham Forest, while showing commendable spirit, will need to regroup quickly as they continue their battle in the Premier League.
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