Aston Villa 3-1 Nottingham Forest: McGinn brace fuels dominant home win

Aston Villa began 2026 in emphatic fashion as a John McGinn brace powered a 3-1 home victory over Nottingham Forest, restoring momentum after midweek disappointment and reinforcing Villa Park’s status as one of the Premier League’s toughest venues.

Unai Emery’s side were dominant for long stretches and deservedly claimed all three points, extending their remarkable home winning run and keeping pressure on the teams above them.

Villa had to be patient against a compact Forest side, but their breakthrough arrived at the perfect moment. In first-half injury time, Ollie Watkins marked his 250th appearance for the club with a sensational 20-yard strike into the top corner.

It was Watkins’ fourth goal in three matches and his seventh of the season, reward for Villa’s sustained pressure after dominating possession in the opening half.

The second half belonged to John McGinn. Just four minutes after the restart, he doubled Villa’s lead with a composed finish from Matty Cash’s low cross.

Forest briefly found hope when Morgan Gibbs-White raced through to delicately lift the ball over Emiliano Martínez. Any momentum, however, was short-lived.

McGinn sealed the contest in memorable fashion, capitalising on a defensive error to round Forest goalkeeper John Victor some 30 yards from goal before rolling the ball into an empty net to register his first Premier League brace.

Emery’s starting XI included returns for Ian Maatsen, Matty Cash and Boubacar Kamara, with the latter duo back from suspension. The changes brought balance and control, particularly in midfield, where Villa dictated tempo for much of the contest.

Further reinforcements arrived late on as Lucas Digne and Jadon Sancho were introduced, helping Villa regain full command after Forest’s brief revival.

Despite seeing a joint-club-record 11-match winning run in all competitions end earlier in the week, Villa quickly reasserted themselves on home soil. This victory made it 11 consecutive wins at Villa Park and extended their unbeaten home league run against Forest to 10 matches.

Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, McGinn summed up the mood around the club.

“It’s a tough place to come now,” he said. “We’re building something special here, breaking records and becoming more complete as a team. Villa Park is a fortress at the moment.”

Villa will look to carry this momentum into their upcoming fixtures as they continue to push at the top end of the table. With confidence high and key players returning, Emery’s side are well positioned for the challenges ahead.

Is Villa Park now the Premier League’s toughest away trip — and can Aston Villa turn this home form into a genuine title push?