Aston Villa up to sixth in Premier League and on track for European football

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Second-half goals from Bertrand Traore and Ollie Watkins earned Aston Villa a 2-0 Premier League win over Nottingham Forest on Saturday to keep Unai Emery's side on track for a place in Europe next season and send their opponents into the relegation zone.

After a cagey first half in which neither side created much of note, Traore broke the deadlock with a fine effort three minutes after the interval to score his second goal for Villa in as many games.

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Traore, whom Emery recalled from a loan spell in Turkey, was brought on as a first-half substitute after Leon Bailey was forced off with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.

Traore latched on to Ashley Young's pass down the right in the 48th minute and drove to the byline before hitting a low cross that Forest goalkeeper Keylor Navas could only parry at his own defender Jonjo Shelvey.

The ball bounced off Shelvey and back into the path of Traore, who had continued his run, and the 27-year-old bent his shot into the far corner to give Villa a deserved lead.

The goal forced Forest to attack and Villa took advantage of the resulting space in behind, with Watkins dinking over Navas deep in injury time to add to the scoreline.

"I've worked a lot on my finishing," said Watkins, who is in a rich vein of form having found the net nine times in his last 11 games.

"I don't think I'd do that finish at the start of the season or maybe last season, dinking the keeper. I'd maybe have tried to go low and it may get saved. I've worked a lot on a variety of finishes and I'm happy to be scoring."

Forest's best chance came in the 76th minute, when Danilo played Taiwo Awoniyi clean through the middle, but Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was quick off his line to clear away the danger.

Forest boss Steve Cooper set his side up to pack the middle of the park and force Villa wide and the strategy worked well in the opening period, with chances at a premium.

Navas was called into action for the first time in the 25th minute, when Watkins met Bailey's cross with a stooping header at the near post that the former Real Madrid and PSG man batted behind.

Morgan Gibbs-White was Forest's liveliest player, providing an outlet down the right for the visitors, but they failed to carve out many clear chances.

Villa's fourth league win in a row moved them up to sixth in the table, while Forest, who have the worst goal difference in the league, dropped one place to 18th on 27 points after their ninth game without victory.