NOTTINGHAM - Nottingham Forest stunned Aston Villa with their first Premier League win in seven games on Sunday as Ola Aina and Orel Mangala struck in a deserved 2-0 win.
The sides came into the match in very different form as Villa's six-game unbeaten league run had seen Unai Emery's men rise to fifth in the table.
However, Villa got off to a terrible start when Aina found the bottom corner from outside the box after five minutes and never recovered.
Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez picked up the prize for the world's best goalkeeper earlier this week for his heroics in helping Argentina to World Cup glory last year.
But it was a Martinez error that gifted Forest their second goal early in the second half.
Martinez got a hand to Mangala's strike from long range but did not do enough to divert the ball to safety as it looped back into his goal.
A much-needed victory for Forest eases speculation that Steve Cooper was at risk of becoming the first Premier League manager of the season to be sacked.
Forest climb to 12th in the table, eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Villa missed the chance to climb into the top four as they remain fifth.
Liverpool can go second later on Sunday should the Reds win at Luton.
kca/jc