Nottingham Forest 1-1 Aston Villa: Emmanuel Dennis scores his first goal for hosts

Nottingham Forest moved off the bottom of the Premier League with a hard-fought draw against Aston Villa.

The result ends a sequence of five consecutive defeats for Steve Cooper's side, who move up to 19th in the table, a point above Leicester and four behind Villa who remain 16th.

Roared on by a vociferous City Ground crowd, Emmanuel Dennis gave the hosts the perfect start, capitalising on some poor marking to head in Morgan Gibbs-White's free-kick after drifting across the front of a static Villa defence.

However, Ashley Young levelled seven minutes later with a superb effort from 25 yards that flew into the bottom left corner.

It was Young's first goal for Villa since 2011 - when he was in his first spell at the club - and it was the only notable moment of attacking inspiration from two sides that struggled in the final third.

While Steven Gerrard's team had an Ollie Watkins effort correctly ruled out for offside and appeals for a penalty waved away when Forest captain Ryan Yates appeared to catch Ezri Konsa, too often their final ball or shot lacked the precision to trouble home goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

More to follow.

helpHow to play

Rate players out of 10 throughout or after the game. The rater will close 30 minutes after the final whistle.

Rating range key1 = Give it up10 = Pure perfection

Nottingham Forest

Squad number1Player nameHenderson

Squad number24Player nameAurier

Squad number3Player nameS Cook

Squad number26Player nameMcKenna

Squad number15Player nameToffolo

Squad number23Player nameFreuler

Squad number22Player nameYates

Squad number21Player nameKouyaté

Squad number20Player nameJohnson

Squad number25Player nameDennis

Squad number10Player nameGibbs-White

Squad number7Player nameN Williams

Squad number14Player nameO'Brien

Squad number16Player nameSurridge

Aston Villa

Squad number1Player nameMartínez

Squad number2Player nameCash

Squad number4Player nameKonsa

Squad number5Player nameMings

Squad number18Player nameYoung

Squad number7Player nameMcGinn

Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz

Squad number41Player nameJ Ramsey

Squad number10Player nameBuendía

Squad number11Player nameWatkins

Squad number23Player namePhilippe Coutinho

Squad number9Player nameIngs

Squad number32Player nameDendoncker

Squad number35Player nameArcher

Line-ups

Nottm Forest

Formation 4-3-3

1Henderson

24Aurier3S Cook26McKenna15Toffolo

23Freuler22Yates21Kouyaté

20Johnson25Dennis10Gibbs-White

Substitutes

Aston Villa

Formation 4-3-3

1Martínez

2Cash4Konsa5Mings18Young

7McGinn6Douglas Luiz41J Ramsey

10Buendía11Watkins23Coutinho

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Aston Villa 1.

Second Half ends, Nottingham Forest 1, Aston Villa 1.

Foul by Matty Cash (Aston Villa).

Sam Surridge (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa).

Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution, Nottingham Forest. Lewis O'Brien replaces Morgan Gibbs-White.

Hand ball by Sam Surridge (Nottingham Forest).

Attempt blocked. Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Sam Surridge.

Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Sam Surridge (Nottingham Forest).

Foul by Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa).

Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Foul by Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest).

Substitution, Aston Villa. Cameron Archer replaces Jacob Ramsey.

Foul by Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa).

Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Attempt blocked. Emiliano Buendía (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Source Link