Liam Delap's second-half equaliser earned Nottingham Forest a hard-fought 1-1 draw away to Aston Villa on Saturday. The point at Villa Park keeps Forest 16th in the Premier League with two points from their opening three games.
Delap's goal cancelled out a first-half header from Villa's Alysson, but the Forest striker saw another potential winner chalked off for offside in a contentious finish. The visitors dominated possession after the break and finished the match with seven shots, while Villa failed to register a single attempt in the second half.
Delap's Villa Park record
The leveller continued Delap's impressive record against Aston Villa. His close-range finish came after sustained pressure from Nuno Espírito Santo's side, who improved markedly after the interval. Delap had earlier seen a powerful header strike the arm of Villa defender Victor Lindelof inside the box, sparking strong penalty appeals from the Forest players and staff.
Former Premier League referee Mike Dean, analysing the incident, stated it was not a spot-kick. "His arm was tucked in and it hit him on the elbow. It's not a penalty," Dean said. The decision proved a key moment in a match where Forest felt they deserved more.
Second-half control
Forest's midfield trio of Orel Mangala, Cheikhou Kouyaté and Lewis O'Brien outnumbered and outworked Villa's Boubacar Kamara and Ross Barkley for long periods after half-time. This control allowed forwards Delap and Iliman Ndiaye to threaten consistently. Ndiaye himself had two excellent chances, forcing a smart save from Emiliano Martínez from 10 yards before heading another opportunity over the crossbar.
The visitors' resilience after going behind is a noted trait. The club has now avoided defeat in its last 17 Premier League matches when scoring the first goal, a run that stretches back several seasons. You can review the team's current form and upcoming challenges on our standings page.
Defender Murillo received a yellow card for a late challenge on Alysson, while midfielder Xaver Schlager was also booked for a tackle from behind. Forest made a tactical change midway through the second half, with Igor Jesus replacing Ndiaye as they pushed for a winner. James McAtee also tried his luck from distance, but his 25-yard effort flew wide.
Villa's goal came from a familiar source, with captain John McGinn delivering the cross for Alysson's header. Analyst Clinton Morrison praised the move, saying, "Who else but John McGinn? It's a great ball into the box and a good header."
Building on the point
The draw follows a 0-0 stalemate with Tottenham at the City Ground last weekend, meaning Forest are now unbeaten in two. Their recent form reads one win, two draws and two defeats from the last five outings. With only two goals scored and three conceded so far this season, tightening the attack will be a focus for Nuno.
The squad is currently without winger Nicolò Savona due to injury, a detail fans can monitor on the club's injuries list. Attention now turns to the next fixture, a home match against bottom-placed Coventry City on Saturday, 19 September. It presents a clear opportunity for Forest to climb the table from their current 16th position. The full schedule leading up to that clash is available on our fixtures page.
