Aston Villa's six-game undefeated league run had propelled Unai Emery's team to fifth place in the rankings. But against Nottingham Forest, Villa got off to a disastrous start as Aina struck the bottom corner from outside the box after five minutes, and the visitors never recovered. At the Ballon d'Or presentation earlier this week, Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was named the world's finest goalkeeper for his exploits in guiding Argentina to World Cup triumph last year.
However, Martinez's blunder allowed Forest to score their second goal early in the second half. Martinez got a hand to Mangala's long-range shot but was unable to move the ball to safety as it looped back into his net. A much-needed win for Forest puts all the concerns to rest that Steve Cooper may become the season's first Premier League manager to be fired.