What changed
Aston Villa lost 2-1 at home to Nottingham Forest, leaving Unai Emery’s side without a win after four Premier League games and potentially bottom of the table if Coventry beat Brighton on Sunday, according to BBC Sport.
Liam Delap put Forest ahead 45 seconds after half-time. Alysson equalised with his first goal in English football, but Igor Jesus scored two minutes from time to give Forest their first win at Villa Park since 1994. Forest had 22 shots and 32 touches in Villa’s penalty area.
Villa also lost Ian Maatsen to an ankle injury after using all their substitutes and finished with 10 players. Pau Torres had already gone off in the first half. Emery argued that James McAtee should have been sent off for the tackle on Maatsen, but accepted that Villa’s poor second half was their responsibility.
Why it matters
Villa have ended a 372-minute Premier League goal drought but remain vulnerable at both ends of the pitch. This is only the fourth time they have begun a top-flight season without winning any of their first four matches, after 1992-93, 1997-98 and 2025-26.
The collapse comes soon after last season’s fourth-place finish and historic Europa League triumph, making the summer rebuild look increasingly unsettled. Forest’s win also extended Oliver Glasner’s unbeaten record in eight games against Emery.
Maatsen’s injury could force new signing Matteo Ruggeri into action earlier than planned. With Torres also injured and Taylor Harwood-Bellis omitted again, Villa’s defensive depth is becoming an immediate concern.
What to watch next
Villa visit Coventry in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, then travel to Tottenham. The Coventry match will test whether Emery has enough defensive cover and may give Harwood-Bellis an opportunity.
The central question is whether Villa can stop conceding territory while their attack remains unreliable. If those problems continue, and Coventry’s result leaves them bottom, pressure on Emery is likely to intensify.
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