Igor Jesus Scores Late Winner as Nottingham Forest Defeats Aston Villa
Igor Jesus needed only one chance. Two minutes left, the game drifting, tension thick in the Birmingham air – and the Nottingham Forest substitute slid in to stab home a dramatic winner that ripped up 32 years of Villa Park history.
For the first time since the early 1990s, Forest left Aston Villa’s home with a league victory. For Oliver Glasner, it was more than just three points: it was his first win in charge of Forest and another personal triumph over Unai Emery.
Forest sharper, Villa searching
This was supposed to be the afternoon Villa kick-started their Premier League campaign. Instead, they were second best.
Forest arrived with structure, bite and a clear plan. Villa brought anxiety.
The hosts did threaten early on. Victor Lindelof’s drive took a wicked deflection off Murillo, forcing Sels into a sharp save that diverted the ball on to the post. Murillo hacked the rebound away, only to find Lindelof again, but the defender’s instinctive follow-up was smothered by the Forest goalkeeper.
That flurry felt important at the time. It turned out to be a false dawn.
Forest grew, then took control. Liam Delap, still waiting for a spark since his big-money move from Chelsea, finally found it. His first goal since January, his first in Forest colours, and a reminder of why the club paid £50m in the summer. The finish opened his account and tilted the game firmly towards the visitors.
Villa, by contrast, laboured. Their passing lacked tempo, their movement lacked conviction. When Alysson eventually levelled with Villa’s first Premier League goal of the season, it came against the rhythm of a match Forest had largely dictated.
Emery’s rebuild under strain
Emery has preached patience all summer. New faces, new structure, new demands. He is meticulous, and his players are asked to absorb a huge volume of tactical detail.
But patience will be tested after this.
The most telling moment came at half-time. Off went Nicolas Jackson, the £65m record signing. On came Tammy Abraham – the striker Emery had been prepared to move on in the summer. It was a clear signal that this reshaped side is nowhere near settled.
The 3-2 Champions League win at Club Brugge had offered a hint of what this team might become. Here, those hopes were dragged back to earth. Villa were disjointed, short of ideas and unable to live with Forest’s organisation and intensity for long stretches.
Even Alysson’s equaliser, which briefly lifted the mood, did not shift the pattern for long. Forest reset, tightened up and went again.
Glasner’s grip on Emery continues
There is a question Villa fans know too well by now: what exactly does Glasner have over Emery?
Since the Austrian coach arrived in English football with Crystal Palace in February 2024, Emery has not beaten him. Eight games, no wins.
Glasner’s Palace side dismantled Villa 3-0 at Villa Park at the start of last season. Different club, same manager, same stadium – and while the scoreline was tighter this time, the feeling was familiar. The visitors deserved it.
At Forest, Glasner is starting to leave his mark. Draws against Liverpool and Tottenham hinted at a team becoming harder to beat, more sure of itself. Here, that growing belief turned into something tangible.
They pressed with purpose. They managed the big moments. And when the chance came at the death, Jesus did not hesitate.
His late winner did more than silence Villa Park. It pushed Forest’s season into gear and deepened the questions around Emery’s new-look side.
Villa’s rebuild is only just beginning, but how long will this crowd wait for it to truly start?
