Nottingham Forest Beat Aston Villa as Glasner Extends Emery Unbeaten Run
Nottingham Forest overcame a late defensive injury crisis to beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park on Saturday, with Liam Delap and Igor Jesus scoring in a result that maintained Oliver Glasner’s unbeaten record against Unai Emery. The Forest head coach has now taken six wins and two draws from eight meetings with Emery across his spells in charge of Crystal Palace and Forest.
Forest reshuffle pays off at Villa Park
Glasner’s side were forced to alter their plans only hours before kick-off after Nikola Milenkovic and Jair Cunha were ruled out with hamstring problems. The pair underwent scans following Friday’s final training session, with the results arriving at around 9.30pm.
That left Glasner needing to reorganise his defence at short notice. He informed Ola and Ousmane that they would start, while also discussing with Ola the prospect of operating in a back three. Glasner said he believed the player was capable of handling the altered role.
Forest’s defensive resources were further tested by Murillo, who had been experiencing knee pain in training. The Brazilian nevertheless insisted he wanted to play, a decision Glasner viewed as evidence of the resilience within his squad.
Villa were reduced to 10 men after Ian Maatsen suffered an injury, and Forest made their advantage count through goals from Delap and Igor Jesus. The visitors’ 2-1 win was particularly satisfying for Glasner because of the disruption to his preparations, with the coach placing greater value on the performance and spirit shown by his players than on his personal record.
Key moments in Forest’s victory
- Friday: Milenkovic and Jair Cunha sustain hamstring issues in the final training session.
- Friday night: Scan results confirm that neither defender can feature at Villa Park, prompting a late selection rethink.
- Saturday: Murillo plays despite knee discomfort as Forest’s depleted defence adapts to the changes.
- At Villa Park: Delap and Igor Jesus score in a 2-1 Forest victory, while Villa lose Maatsen to injury and finish with 10 players.
- After the match: Glasner’s record against Emery moves to six victories and two draws from eight encounters.
Glasner keeps perspective on Emery record
Before the match, Glasner spoke with Emery and joked that the Villa manager remained ahead in European honours by five trophies to two. The Austrian said the exchange was a reminder to remain modest despite his strong head-to-head return.
Glasner stressed that he had not contributed on the pitch and directed credit towards the players and travelling support. He described every victory as valuable, but said Forest’s display, determination and ability to adjust under pressure were the main reasons for satisfaction.
Injury picture ahead of Coventry City
Forest are due to play Coventry City on September 19, although Milenkovic is expected to miss that fixture. Glasner indicated that the defender’s problem is the more serious of the two hamstring injuries and said the club hope he can return after the international break.
Jair Cunha could yet be available against Coventry, but Forest will not rush his recovery. Glasner said the club must take care before setting a firm date for either player’s return.
Key takeaways
- Forest won 2-1 at Aston Villa through goals from Liam Delap and Igor Jesus.
- Glasner remains unbeaten against Emery after eight meetings, recording six wins and two draws.
- Milenkovic and Jair Cunha were withdrawn from contention after late scan results on Friday evening.
- Murillo played through knee pain as Forest dealt with reduced defensive depth.
- Milenkovic is set to miss Coventry on September 19, while Jair Cunha remains a possible returnee.
