John McGinn’s Heroic Brace Leads Aston Villa to Record-Equalling Victory Over Nottingham Forest!
McGinn Double Shines as Aston Villa Conquer Nottingham Forest, Matching Villa Park Record
Aston Villa secured a hard-fought victory over Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on January 3rd, 2026, thanks to a brilliant brace from captain John McGinn. The 2-1 win extends Aston Villa’s impressive home form, equaling a club record for consecutive Premier League victories at Villa Park. The result solidifies Villa’s position in the top half of the table, while Nottingham Forest continues their search for consistency under new manager Nuno Espírito Santo.
First Half Domination Leads to McGinn’s Opener
Aston Villa started the match brightly, dominating possession and creating several early chances. Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey both threatened the Forest goal, but it was John McGinn who broke the deadlock in the 27th minute. A well-worked passing move culminated in McGinn receiving the ball just outside the box, and the Scottish international unleashed a powerful, curling shot that nestled perfectly into the top corner, leaving Forest goalkeeper Matt Turner with no chance. The Villa Park crowd erupted as McGinn celebrated his stunning strike.
Villa continued to press for a second goal, but Nottingham Forest defended resolutely. The visitors struggled to create any meaningful attacks in the first half, with their forwards isolated and starved of service. Unai Emery’s tactical setup proved effective in stifling Forest’s attacking threats and controlling the midfield.
Forest Fight Back, But McGinn Seals the Deal
Nottingham Forest emerged from the halftime break with renewed energy and a more attacking intent. Nuno Espírito Santo made tactical adjustments, introducing fresh legs and urging his team to press higher up the pitch. Their efforts were rewarded in the 65th minute when Taiwo Awoniyi capitalized on a defensive lapse from Villa. A long ball over the top found Awoniyi in space, and he calmly slotted the ball past Emiliano Martinez to level the score.
The equalizer sparked a period of intense pressure from Forest, who sensed an opportunity to snatch a point. However, Aston Villa remained composed and gradually regained control of the game. In the 78th minute, John McGinn once again proved to be the hero. A corner kick was whipped into the box, and after a scramble, the ball fell to McGinn, who reacted quickly to fire a low shot past Turner and into the net. Villa Park erupted once more as McGinn celebrated his second goal of the match.
Late Drama and Villa Hold On
The final minutes of the match were filled with drama as Nottingham Forest threw everything they had at Aston Villa in search of another equalizer. Substitute Chris Wood had a late chance to score, but his header was well saved by Martinez. Villa defended bravely in the face of relentless pressure, and the final whistle was greeted with a roar of relief from the home supporters.
Post-Match Reactions
Speaking after the match, Aston Villa manager Unai Emery praised his team’s resilience and John McGinn’s outstanding performance. “John is a fantastic player and a great leader,” Emery said. “He showed his quality today with two excellent goals. We are very happy with the win and our home form.”
Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo expressed his disappointment with the result but acknowledged his team’s improved performance in the second half. “We were much better in the second half, but we need to be more consistent throughout the whole match,” Santo said. “We will continue to work hard and improve.”
Looking Ahead
Aston Villa will look to continue their impressive home form when they face [Next Opponent] next week. Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, will be hoping to bounce back when they host [Next Opponent] in their next Premier League fixture. The win for Aston Villa further cements their ambitions for European qualification, while Nottingham Forest need to quickly find a winning formula to climb away from the relegation zone.
