Emery’s gamble on outstanding Lindelof pays off as Villa beat Forest | OneFootball

Aston Villa claimed a resounding 4-0 win over Nottingham Forest at Villa Park to book their place in the final of the Europa League last night.

The Villains lost the first leg but made light work of their opponents on the night to seal a date with destiny.

Villa captain John McGinn bagged a brace while Emiliano Buendia and Ollie Watkins also got on the scoresheet.

Manager Unai Emery’s decision to field Victor Lindelof in midfield paid off.

With Amadou Onana dealing with injuries and Boubacar Kamara out long-term, Villa have missed a physical presence at the base of midfield beside Youri Tielemans.

Lamare Bogarde hasn’t exactly covered himself in glory when playing there, and Emery decided to roll with Lindelof, who did an excellent job.

Lindelof won one ground duel, made three interceptions, two recoveries and completed his one attempted dribble.

McGinn, speaking to TNT Sports, praised his teammate’s performance in the engine room.

He said (via the BBC): “Victor has been outstanding. He’s been a little bit hard done by since he signed. I don’t think he’s done a foot wrong.

“The way he fitted in there tonight was outstanding. The manager worked on it a lot. We’ve got versatile players. It suited us well, and it’s the best we’ve played in a while.”

Lindelof’s display may have given Emery a solution for the final stretch of the campaign.

Villa are still fighting on multiple fronts, and with injuries piling up in midfield, having a composed, experienced option to shield the back four could prove invaluable.

The Swedish international brought calmness in possession and positional discipline out of possession. That balance could be crucial.

If Lindelof continues adapting to the role, Emery may have stumbled upon an unlikely but highly effective weapon for Villa’s final games.