Nottingham Forest claimed a dramatic 2-1 victory over Aston Villa at Villa Park, giving Oliver Glasner his first Premier League win as Forest manager while extending Unai Emery’s difficult record against the Austrian coach.
Liam Delap opened the scoring shortly after half-time before Aston Villa responded through Alysson, who registered the club’s first Premier League goal of the campaign. Just when Villa appeared to have regained control, Igor Jesus struck late to secure all three points for the visitors.
The result was particularly painful for Villa because they had battled back into the contest after falling behind. However, an injury to Ian Maatsen left Emery’s team with 10 players for the final stages, and Forest immediately exploited the extra space.
For Glasner, the victory represented another successful tactical battle against Emery. Sky Sports reported that Emery remains without a win in eight meetings with the Austrian.
Forest Start with Patience at Villa Park
The opening stages at Villa Park were competitive, with both sides attempting to establish control without exposing themselves too early.
Aston Villa entered the fixture under pressure to produce their first Premier League victory of the 2026/27 campaign. They had also been looking to build on their midweek Champions League success against Club Brugge.
Forest, meanwhile, were searching for their first league victory under Glasner. The visitors had shown signs of improvement but needed a result to turn encouraging performances into tangible progress.
Villa created one of the clearest opportunities of the first half when Victor Lindelof saw an effort denied by the post and goalkeeper Mats Sels. Sky Sports highlighted the sequence as a major early chance for the hosts.
Forest remained composed, however, and were willing to wait for opportunities in transition.
That patience became increasingly important as the match developed.
Glasner’s side did not need to dominate possession throughout the contest. Instead, Forest looked to stay compact, compete physically and attack the spaces that appeared when Villa committed players forward.
Villa Miss Their Chance to Take Control
The first half ended without a goal, although neither side lacked ambition. Villa’s early opportunity suggested they could have taken command of the match, but Nottingham Forest’s defensive organisation prevented Emery’s team from turning promising positions into a sustained attacking spell.
The hosts were also dealing with selection and injury issues that would become increasingly significant later in the match.
Pau Torres was forced off during the first half, adding another concern for Emery and reducing his defensive options.
Despite those difficulties, Villa went into the interval with the game still within their reach.
The biggest question was whether they could finally find the attacking breakthrough that had eluded them during their opening league matches.
The answer initially appeared to be no.
Instead, Forest needed less than a minute of the second half to change the entire complexion of the contest.
Liam Delap Produces a Stunning Breakthrough
Forest took the lead in the 46th minute through Liam Delap.
The forward received an opportunity from distance and unleashed a powerful strike that flew beyond Aston Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
According to Sky Sports, the goal came from around 25 yards and represented Delap’s first goal for Nottingham Forest following his summer move from Chelsea.
It was a significant moment for both player and club.
Delap had arrived with considerable expectations, and his first Forest goal provided an immediate reward for the club’s investment. More importantly, it gave Glasner’s team a platform from which to control the second half.
Forest also had another Delap goal ruled out for offside later in the match following a VAR review, demonstrating the pressure they continued to place on Villa’s defence.
The opening goal forced Emery to make changes.
Villa could no longer afford to remain cautious, and the manager turned to his younger attacking options in an attempt to inject more energy into the contest.
Emery’s Substitutions Change the Momentum
Johan Manzambi and Ibrahim Mbaye were introduced as Villa searched for a response.
The substitutions provided the hosts with greater attacking energy and helped Villa move the game further into Forest territory.
Rather than allowing the visitors to dictate the contest, Villa began to play with greater urgency.
John McGinn also became increasingly influential as the home side looked for a route back into the match.
Forest continued to threaten on the counterattack, but Villa’s pressure eventually produced the equaliser they desperately needed.
It arrived through Alysson.
Alysson Ends Villa’s Premier League Goal Drought
Villa’s breakthrough came in the 74th minute when Alysson headed home from a McGinn cross.
The goal was significant beyond simply restoring parity.
It was Aston Villa’s first Premier League goal of the 2026/27 season, ending a frustrating wait for Emery’s side. The Brazilian also celebrated his first league goal for the club.
At 1-1, the momentum appeared to have shifted.
Villa had recovered from conceding almost immediately after half-time and now had confidence that they could complete the turnaround.
Forest, however, did not lose their composure.
Glasner’s team continued to look for spaces behind the Villa defence, while Morgan Gibbs-White remained an important creative outlet.
The match appeared to be heading towards a draw, but another unexpected development changed everything.
Ian Maatsen Injury Leaves Villa Vulnerable
With roughly 10 minutes remaining, Aston Villa suffered another major setback when Ian Maatsen was forced off following a challenge from James McAtee.
The timing was particularly unfortunate for Emery because Villa had already used all of their substitutions.
As a result, the hosts were forced to continue with only 10 players.
Emery subsequently expressed his frustration about the challenge, while reports noted that he questioned why McAtee was not shown a red card.
The injury dramatically altered the tactical balance.
Villa had worked hard to recover from 1-0 down, but they suddenly had less defensive coverage across the pitch. Forest immediately recognised the opportunity.
Glasner’s side began attacking the additional space.
It proved decisive.
Igor Jesus Delivers the Late Winner
With just minutes remaining, Nottingham Forest produced the decisive attack.
Morgan Gibbs-White played a key role in the move, combining with Daniel Muñoz before the ball eventually reached Igor Jesus.
The Brazilian forward kept his composure and finished to make it 2-1 in the 88th minute.
The timing of the goal made it especially damaging for Villa.
After fighting back to equalise, the hosts were once again behind, this time with very little time remaining to respond.
Forest, meanwhile, celebrated a goal that transformed their afternoon.
Igor Jesus had delivered the first Premier League victory of Glasner’s Forest tenure.
Glasner’s Tactical Approach Pays Off
The victory demonstrated why Glasner’s tactical approach can be so difficult for Emery to overcome.
Forest remained disciplined when Villa had possession, then accelerated when openings appeared.
The visitors did not panic after Alysson’s equaliser. Instead, they continued to attack the weaknesses that became visible as Villa’s structure deteriorated.
The injury to Maatsen obviously influenced the final stages, but Forest still had to recognise the situation and exploit it.
That is where Glasner’s decision-making became important.
Rather than simply protecting the draw, Forest continued searching for the winning opportunity.
The late winner ultimately came from a move that combined pace, movement and technical quality.
Gibbs-White’s contribution was particularly important, while Igor Jesus provided the finishing touch.
It was the type of decisive sequence that can turn a promising performance into a statement victory.
Emery’s Difficult Record Against Glasner Continues
The result also added another chapter to the managerial rivalry between Glasner and Emery.
Sky Sports reported that Emery remains winless in eight meetings with the Austrian coach.
That record has become one of the most intriguing aspects of their managerial encounters.
Glasner’s previous success against Emery came during his time at Crystal Palace, when the two managers repeatedly faced one another in the Premier League.
This latest meeting carried a different context because Glasner was now in charge of Forest.
Nevertheless, the outcome was familiar.
Emery’s Villa again found themselves unable to turn periods of pressure into victory, while Glasner’s side remained competitive until the decisive moments.
The statistic does not explain every aspect of the match, but it underlines how consistently Glasner’s teams have caused problems for Emery.
Forest Finally Have Their First League Victory
For Nottingham Forest, the three points were about more than ending a difficult run.
They represented the first Premier League victory of the Glasner era.
The manager had been tasked with building a team capable of competing consistently in a demanding league, and the performance at Villa Park provided encouraging evidence of that process.
Forest showed resilience after Villa equalised.
They also dealt with defensive challenges of their own and maintained enough attacking threat to win the match late.
The contribution of their summer additions was another positive feature.
Delap’s goal provided the initial breakthrough, while Igor Jesus delivered the decisive finish.
For Glasner, seeing two attacking players make such an impact will provide additional encouragement as Forest continue developing their squad.
Villa’s Search for a First Win Continues
For Aston Villa, the defeat extended a disappointing start to their Premier League campaign.
The team remains without a league victory after four matches, leaving Emery with considerable work to do during the early stages of the season.
The problem is not simply the lack of points.
Villa also have to manage injuries, integrate new players and establish a reliable attacking structure.
Alysson’s goal was encouraging, particularly because it ended the club’s Premier League scoring drought.
The performances of the younger players introduced from the bench also offered Emery something to build on.
However, the late collapse against Forest highlighted the thin margin for error.
Once Maatsen was forced off, Villa lacked the numerical strength required to defend against Forest’s final attacks.
The defeat therefore contained both encouraging and worrying elements.
Injuries Add to Emery’s Concerns
Villa’s injury situation will be one of the immediate issues following the match.
Pau Torres was unable to continue after suffering a problem during the first half, while Maatsen’s injury created the numerical disadvantage that Forest eventually exploited.
Reports indicated that Emery was particularly concerned about Maatsen’s condition following the challenge. TalkSPORT reported that the Villa manager feared the left-back could face a lengthy absence.
The timing is unfortunate for a team already attempting to integrate new players.
Injuries can disrupt tactical plans, force players into unfamiliar roles and reduce the manager’s ability to influence a match from the bench.
Villa experienced all three problems against Forest.
Forest Demonstrate Growing Belief
The most encouraging aspect for Nottingham Forest was their ability to respond to adversity.
They led 1-0, surrendered the advantage, then found another way to win.
That sequence requires mental resilience.
Instead of allowing Villa’s equaliser to dictate the final stages, Forest continued to search for openings.
Their reward came through Igor Jesus.
The late goal also demonstrated the value of maintaining attacking ambition.
Had Forest simply settled for the draw, they would have left Villa Park with a point. Instead, their willingness to continue attacking produced three.
For Glasner, that mentality will be particularly valuable as Forest attempt to establish themselves under their new manager.
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