Aston Villa frustrated as Neco Williams’s strike bolsters Forest’s survival hopes

On a typically nervy afternoon on the Trent, one of the biggest cheers of the afternoon arrived in the seconds after the final whistle, news over the speakers that Tottenham were still trailing at Sunderland. For Nottingham Forest, a creditable draw against Aston Villa takes them another precious point towards Premier League safety, Neco Williams’s low strike cancelling out Murillo’s own goal; confirmation that Forest are now three clear of the relegation zone was greeted as warmly as one would expect.

These teams could meet again at the end of the month in a Europa League semi-final but, for now, there are more pressing priorities for both teams. For the fourth successive season, Villa again left the City Ground without the full bounty and they wasted a series of chances to earn victory, Morgan Rogers skying a shot from close range and Ollie Watkins also sent a shot sailing over the bar.

Forest, as they have most of the season, struggled to work the opposition goalkeeper and Vítor Pereira turned to Chris Wood with almost half an hour to run, the 34-year-old making his first Premier League appearance since October. It was all the more galling given Villa were without Emiliano Martínez, who was replaced by Marco Bizot after pulling out in the warm up for the third time this season and Ezri Konsa, such a reliable performer for club and country, was dropped to the bench.

It said everything that Williams appeared Forest’s most dangerous attacking threat, equalising after hammering an unerring first-time right-foot shot inside Bizot’s near post and then seeing another similar effort blocked midway through the second half. Villa’s backup goalkeeper made a fine save just after the hour, keeping out Morgan Gibbs-White’s deflected shot with his left leg. Gibbs-White latched on to Igor Jesus’s lay off and his rushed effort cannoned dangerously via Matty Cash.

Murillo deflects the ball into his own net to give Aston Villa a 23rd-minute lead. Photograph: Andrew Boyers/Action Images/Reuters

Villa created much clearer chances, though. After Matz Sels parried Ross Barkley’s low shot, Rogers somehow spooned over a few yards from goal, presumably put off by a couple of desperate attempts to block by those in Forest red, Murillo rushing towards the ball. Sels, restored in goal as one of nine changes, earlier saved from John McGinn when the Villa captain sent a curled effort towards the bottom corner.

Emery praised Watkins’s resilience on Thursday after the striker, again omitted from the latest England squad by Thomas Tuchel, scored twice in Bologna but was guilty of missing a huge chance with 11 minutes of regular time to play. Emiliano Buendía, a substitute here after starting in midweek, freed Watkins in on goal but he lashed his shot clean over the bar. The chances kept coming. Youri Tielemans dawdled after Watkins squared and late on Cash saw an effort blocked.

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