Aston Villa opened the new year with control, clarity and a much-needed response. On 3 January 2026 at Villa Park, Unai Emery’s team beat Nottingham Forest 3-1 in the Premier League, brushing off the sting of a midweek defeat to Arsenal. John McGinn led the way with a brace, Ollie Watkins added another, and the performance matched the scoreline: calm, smart, and relentless.

McGinn at the double, Villa back in rhythm

John McGinn does not score braces often, but when he does, Villa usually leave happy. The captain found the net twice, setting the tone and then sealing the win. His work without the ball was just as important. He pressed, he hustled, and he kept Forest pinned back in their own half for long stretches.

Watkins got the other Villa goal early in the second half, a strike that arrived at the perfect time. It drained belief from Forest and turned Villa’s control into comfort. Callum Hudson-Odoi’s reply gave the visitors a brief spark, but it did not change the pattern: this was Villa’s game to manage, and they did.

“McGinn isn’t just scoring; he’s steering the whole ship.”

Emeryball in numbers: possession, passes, pressure

Emery asked for a reaction after the Arsenal loss. He got it in the numbers and in the feel. Villa held 73.1% possession — their third-highest league share at Villa Park since 2003-04 — and stitched together a season-high 574 successful passes. This was not sterile control. It was pressure with purpose.

The first half was a pure chokehold. Villa owned 77.8% of the ball and completed 247 passes in Forest’s half. That is the highest first-half total on record at Villa Park since 2003-04. It shows how high and how often Villa kept Forest pinned back. Every restart, every second ball, every touch pulled Forest deeper.

Stats spotlight: how Villa suffocated Forest

• 73.1% possession overall for Villa (third-highest at home since 2003-04)
• 77.8% first-half possession and 247 passes in Forest’s half before the break (record since 2003-04)
• 574 successful passes in total, the most by any Villa side in the league this season

It all underlines the core of Emery’s approach: squeeze space, move the ball fast, and trust the structure. Villa did all three across 90 minutes.

“This is what a title push looks like when the plan clicks.”

Watkins’ timing and the turning point

Watkins’ goal right after the interval was a swing moment. Villa had controlled the first half without making the game safe. When the striker scored, the match changed. Forest had to push out; Villa found more space to pass and press on their terms.

The visitors did not help themselves either. One TV voice called a moment in the game “one of the worst goalkeeping decisions you’ll see this season.” It summed up a messy day for Forest at the back, where pressure created panic and panic created chances.

Eight straight at Villa Park: the Emery effect

This win makes it eight Premier League home victories in a row for Villa, the second-longest run they have put together under Emery. Villa Park is becoming a fortress again. That matters in a title chase because home form is the base. When your ground feels like a two-goal head start, everything else becomes easier.

It is also the response a top side needs after a rough night. The Arsenal defeat exposed gaps and focus issues. Here, Villa were tidy and ruthless. As one broadcast reaction put it, “That is an impressive rebound from Aston Villa after their defeat against Arsenal on Tuesday.” It felt like a page turned rather than a wound reopened.

“Eight on the spin at home isn’t luck. It’s culture.”

Forest’s slide and a worrying table picture

For Nottingham Forest, this was a fourth straight league defeat. That kind of run tightens the stomach. After this result, they are just one point clear of the relegation zone. When you cannot stop the bleeding, the table starts to squeeze you.

There were hints of fight — Hudson-Odoi’s goal, short spells of direct play — but not enough control or calm. The next match is West Ham, a key test in mood and momentum. Forest need a result to steady the ship. The basics must come back: cleaner decisions at the back, better control in midfield, and more shots of quality in the box.

What this means for the Premier League race

Villa’s win keeps their title hopes alive and well. The top of the table will be tight all season, and teams that respond to setbacks will set the pace. Villa did exactly that. The method matters as much as the points. High possession, high pass totals, and constant pressure are trademarks of their best days. This was one of them.

McGinn’s brace will make headlines, but the deeper story is about control. Emery wants games where his side decide the speed and the shots. Against Forest, he got both. If that holds in the coming weeks, Villa will stay in the conversation where it counts.

Villa’s blueprint, Forest’s questions

There is a clear split-screen here. Villa have a plan that shows up in data and in the eye test. Forest are searching for answers and need a pivot point fast. Confidence in football is thin glass; once cracked, it can shatter. Forest must protect theirs now.

As the commentator’s line about goalkeeping choices suggested, small mistakes in bad moments can sink you. Forest must cut those out. Villa, by contrast, turned the same moments into platform plays: safe first touches, good angles, and smart shots.

The bottom line

This match will be remembered for McGinn’s rare double and Villa’s iron grip on the ball. It will also be marked as the day Villa parked the Arsenal loss and reset their rhythm. At home, they look fierce. Away, they will try to bottle the same control and take it on the road.

For Forest, the message is simple: stop the slide. West Ham is next, and points are needed now, not later. One point above the drop is a warning light. If Villa’s night was about belief returning, Forest’s was about belief being tested.

In the end, the game delivered a clear verdict: Villa are still in the hunt, and they have the numbers and the nerve to prove it. Forest leave with new worries and an urgent to-do list. The clock is already ticking.