Aston Villa climbed into the Premier League’s top six as early goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen secured a 2-1 win over third-placed Nottingham Forest on Saturday.
A seventh consecutive victory for Unai Emery’s men in all competitions sets up Villa perfectly for Wednesday’s trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
Villa’s hot streak has also brought them well into the race for Champions League football next season.
A top-five Premier League finish will almost certainly be enough to qualify thanks to the strong performance of English sides in European competition this season.
Villa sit below fifth-placed Manchester City only on goal difference and moved to within one point of Chelsea in fourth.
“We enjoy competing in the Champions League and the FA Cup, but the Premier League is the most important because it is through the league that we can reach our objective for the next season,” said Emery.
Forest’s cushion over Villa is reduced to six points, leaving Nuno Espirito Santo’s side plenty of work to do in their final seven games to secure a return to European football’s elite level for the first time since they were holders in 1980.
Emery had one eye on the trip to his former club in midweek as he made eight changes from Wednesday’s impressive 3-0 win at Brighton.
The Spaniard’s decision to inject fresh legs was justified in a flying start as the home side led 2-0 inside 15 minutes.
Rogers’ deft touch to control Youri Tielemans’ ball over the top teed up the England international to stroke home his 13th goal of a breakout season.
Malen has been overshadowed by the impact made by fellow January arrivals Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.
However, the Dutch international now has two goals in two games after turning in Ian Maatsen’s enticing low delivery.
Forest looked fatigued in holding off Manchester United on Tuesday just three days after being forced to extra-time and penalties by Brighton to book their place in the FA Cup semi-finals.
Villa and Forest could meet again in the FA Cup final should they win their last-four ties later this month.
The visitors took 45 minutes to find their feet but came out a different side in the second half.
“Normally we always start really well and the big lesson was that we can’t start a game as bad as we did today,” said Nuno.
The Forest boss’ decision to sacrifice the in-form Anthony Elanga for Jota Silva at the break proved an inspired change.
Villa failed to heed the Forest warnings as Neco Williams and Callum Hudson-Odoi fired just wide at the start of the second period.
Silva spun on to Williams’ cross on 56 minutes to halve the arrears.
Elliott Anderson was then inches away from an equaliser as the former Newcastle midfielder’s effort swerved off target.
Emery turned to his talented bench to try and turn the tide as Rashford, Jacob Ramsey and Boubacar Kamara came on just after the hour mark.
But it was Rogers who had the biggest chance to make the three points safe when he failed to beat Matz Sels one-on-one.
That reprieve gave Forest life and they could have snatched a point when Williams fired across goal before Murillo’s long-range effort hit the bar in stoppage time.
AFP
