Nottingham Forest had not won at Villa Park since 1994. They had not won at all this season. Both of those ran out at the same time on Saturday, thanks to an 88th-minute finish from Igor Jesus that sent Aston Villa into the bottom three and gave Oliver Glasner his first victory as Forest manager.
Delap Strikes Inside a Minute of the Restart
Whatever Glasner said at half-time worked immediately. Forty-five seconds into the second half Liam Delap had put Forest ahead, the kind of goal that suggests a team came out of the tunnel already moving while the other was still fastening its shin pads.
Villa responded through Alysson, whose equaliser was their first league goal of the campaign. Four matches without scoring in the Premier League, and the relief around the ground when it went in told you plenty about the mood.
Emery Is Running Out of Answers
That relief lasted about half an hour. Igor Jesus got in behind late, finished, and Villa Park emptied fast. Unai Emery has now lost to Glasner more than once and cut a frustrated figure afterwards. His side sit in the relegation places with a European campaign to juggle and a squad that looks short of confidence rather than short of ability.
What Glasner Has Changed
Forest's shape was direct without being crude. They let Villa have the ball in areas where it did not hurt them, then attacked the space behind Villa's full-backs at speed. Delap's movement gave them a reference point and Igor Jesus gave them the finish. It is one win, not a transformation, but it is the first evidence that the appointment makes sense.
Match facts: Aston Villa 1-2 Nottingham Forest, Premier League, Villa Park, Saturday 12 September 2026. Scorers: Liam Delap (46), Alysson (Villa), Igor Jesus (88). Forest's first win of the season and first at Villa Park since 1994. Villa drop into the bottom three.
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