BIRMINGHAM, England (Jan. 3, 2026) (Interstat) — Aston Villa opened its Premier League campaign with a commanding 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest at Villa Park on Saturday.

Villa seized control with two late first-half goals. Ollie Watkins broke through in the 45th minute, followed by John McGinn’s first of the match four minutes after the restart. Morgan Gibbs-White pulled one back for Forest in the 61st, but McGinn secured the points with his second goal in the 73rd.

The result gave Villa a winning start under the league’s organization, while Forest began its season with a defeat. The outcome defied a pregame projection that had forecast a 1-1 draw.