Anthony Elanga struck an added-time winner as Nottingham Forest recovered from being behind after 86 minutes to beat Aston Villa at the City Ground and move fourth in the Premier League.
Forward Elanga scored his first goal of the season in timely fashion, slotting in Elliot Anderson’s cross in the 93rd minute to send his side above Manchester City.
Nikola Milenkovic’s second headed goal in two matches had drawn the hosts level six minutes earlier, replying to Jhon Duran’s 63rd-minute opener for a Villa side whose three-match winning run came to an end.
Starting the day locked on 25 points immediately behind the top four, the European hopefuls shared a relatively quiet first half, although Villa felt they should have won a penalty for a challenge by Elliot Anderson on Morgan Rogers.
The compelling drama of the second half began when Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced an exceptional save to narrowly claw Nicolas Dominguez’s header off the line, making it all the sweeter for Unai Emery’s side when Duran’s clever header from John McGinn’s aerial pass broke the deadlock.
Chris Wood thought he had equalised with his 11th goal of the season when he turned in Elanga’s low cross nine minutes from time, only for a lengthy Video Assistant Referee check to rule the goal out.
Relief duly arrived for the home fans when centre-back Milenkovic converted from Morgan Gibbs-White’s cross, with a draw enough for Forest to stay above Villa on goal difference.
Sweden international Elanga had other ideas, ensuring Forest have won three of their last four matches and four of their last five at home.
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