Traore and Watkins on target as Villa sink Forest

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND : Bertrand Traore and Ollie Watkins earned Aston Villa a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest in the Premier League 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 three minutes after the interval with his second goal for Villa in as many games.

The Burkina Faso international, who Emery recalled from a loan spell in Turkey, was brought on as a first-half substitute and capitalised on a mistake by Jonjo Shelvey to send a curling shot in at the far post and break the deadlock.

The goal forced Forest to attack and Villa took advantage of the resulting space in behind, with Watkins dinking over Forest keeper Keylor Navas deep in injury time to double the home side's lead.

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

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