ZeeboiNottingham Forest’s five-match unbeaten streak in the Premier League came to an end as Aston Villa secured a 2-1 victory at Villa Park, boosting their own ambitions for a Champions League spot.
The Reds aimed to keep things tight early on, but a chaotic two-minute spell derailed their hopes of leaving with a point.
Morgan Rogers struck in the 13th minute, followed by Donyell Malan two minutes later, and despite Jota Silva pulling one back, Forest couldn’t fully recover from the early setback.
Nuno Espirito Santo will likely take some positives from the second half, where Silva’s introduction injected a fresh dynamic into Forest’s approach at Villa Park.
Jamie Redknapp left baffled by Nottingham Forest player’s display against Aston Villa:
It was a night to forget for Forest’s Morato, who returned to the starting lineup as Espirito Santo opted for a three-center-back system.
Alan Smith suggested that tactical choice misfired, with Villa’s forwards overwhelming Forest in the opening 45 minutes.
Against a side like Villa, giving their attackers an inch is a recipe for trouble—and Morato handed them just that when he bizarrely adjusted his shin pads while play continued, a lapse Rogers pounced on.
Redknapp, covering the match live on Sky Sports, was dumbfounded by what he witnessed in the first half.
He remarked: “I can’t understand it, what he does, I don’t get it. He’s messing around with his shin pads, Rogers wants to make that run now, how on earth can you be defending like that when Youri Tielemans has got his head up like that. You can’t do that, it’s really poor by him.”
Morato’s numbers against Aston Villa
The Brazilian endured a tough outing, perhaps thrown off by starting rather than coming off the bench, where he’s often thrived this season.
Typically a reliable substitute, Morato had previously helped Forest maintain a solid defensive record when on the pitch.
Morato stats vs Aston Villa Total
Minutes 74
Tackles 3
Clearances 1
Who Scored Rating 5.83
This performance won’t define him, especially as Forest may have just faced their sternest test left in the 2024/25 season.
Up next is Everton, and should Morato get another chance, he’ll be eager to put this costly blunder behind him.
Zeeboi
