Aston Villa continue to surpass expectations as they bounced back from defeat by Arsenal to cement their place in the top three. Ollie Watkins celebrated his 250th appearance for the club with his fourth goal in three games and John McGinn added two more as Unai Emery’s side won their 11th straight home game.
Villa’s ability to score out of next to nothing epitomises their season. They managed this game superbly, inflicting a fourth straight defeat on Nottingham Forest, but if the league table was made up of their expected goals difference, they would have started this weekend in 15th place.
Instead they overtook Manchester City, who play Chelsea on Sunday, to move within three points of the league leaders who had ambushed them 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Arsenal play Bournemouth on Saturday evening.
Few would have suspected Villa had lost their previous game as they set about swatting Forest aside. These are troubling times for Sean Dyche’s side, for whom Morgan Gibbs-White had reduced the deficit to 2-1, as they are dragged into the relegation scrap.
Watkins should probably have been celebrating his 250th appearance for Villa with a goal within two minutes of kick-off but John Victor, retaining his place from Matz Sels, saved superbly from point-blank range.
