ZeeboiNottingham Forest manager Nuno Espirito Santo admitted his side paid the price for a disastrous opening spell as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Aston Villa at Villa Park.
Forest were two goals down inside 15 minutes after Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen struck early for the hosts, leaving the visitors chasing the game from the outset.
“The first half was very bad,” said Nuno.
“We were disorganised and allowed them to take control. But in the second half, the team showed character and created chances. It’s something to build on.”
Despite their poor start, Forest improved after the break and pulled one back through Jota Silva in the 57th minute. They pushed for an equaliser, with Murillo nearly scoring deep into stoppage time, but ultimately came up short.
Villa’s win was their eighth in a row in all competitions, solidifying their position in the top six with 51 points. The result puts them just one point behind the top four as the race for European qualification intensifies.
For Forest, the defeat means they remain in third place on 57 points, missing an opportunity to close the gap on Arsenal. While the second-half response offered some positives, the early damage proved too much to recover from.
Nuno will now look to rally his side ahead of their next fixture, knowing that a repeat of such a sluggish start could prove costly in the weeks ahead.
Zeeboi
