Aston Villa Beat Nottingham Forest For Seventh Straight Win Ahead Of PSG Trip

Aston Villa climbed into the Premier League's top six as early goals from Morgan Rogers and Donyell Malen secured a 2-1 win over third-placed Nottingham Forest on Saturday. A seventh consecutive victory for Unai Emery's men in all competitions sets up Villa perfectly for Wednesday's trip to Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. Villa's hot streak has also brought them well into the race for Champions League football next season.

A top-five Premier League finish will almost certainly be enough to qualify thanks to the strong performance of English sides in European competition this season.

Villa sit below fifth-placed Manchester City only on goal difference and moved to within one point of Chelsea in fourth.

"We enjoy competing in the Champions League and the FA Cup, but the Premier League is the most important because it is through the league that we can reach our objective for the next season," said Emery.

Forest's cushion over Villa is reduced to six points, leaving Nuno Espirito Santo's side plenty of work to do in their final seven games to secure a return to European football's elite level for the first time since they were holders in 1980.

Emery had one eye on the trip to his former club in midweek as he made eight changes from Wednesday's impressive 3-0 win at Brighton.

The Spaniard's decision to inject fresh legs was justified in a flying start as the home side led 2-0 inside 15 minutes.

Rogers' deft touch to control Youri Tielemans' ball over the top teed up the England international to stroke home his 13th goal of a breakout season.

Malen has been overshadowed by the impact made by fellow January arrivals Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio.

However, the Dutch international