Nottingham Forest let down by Elliot Anderson at worst possible time as midfield star outclassed by Aston Villa

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(Credit: Imago) Fri 8 May 2026 12:45, UK Nottingham Forest saw their Europa League dreams crushed as they were beaten 4-0 away at Aston Villa on Thursday night. Elliot Anderson has often been their talisman this season, but even he was powerless to prevent Villa from dictating the game and overwhelming the Reds.

Forest’s defeat will see their focus switch back to securing Premier League survival in the coming weeks, but it could also represent a serious bump in Anderson’s journey. ⚽ Nottingham Forest Matchday ⚽ Team news, line-ups, expert previews and tactical analysis for every Nottingham Forest fixture. StatsAnderson TotalsAccurate Passes51/58 (88%)Chances Created–Shots –Defensive Contributions8Tackles2Duels Won7/11 (64%)Anderson’s stats in Forest’s defeat to Villa, as per Fotmob.Pereira opted to start the game with his team in the 4-4-2 formation that has helped to unlock their goalscoring in recent weeks, but it was clear from the very beginning that it was causing issues for them.

In difficult moments of games, Forest have routinely looked towards Anderson to wrestle back control for them and help stamp their imprint on the game, but he was nowhere to be seen at Villa Park. He also suggested that the Citizens will be able to pay a higher price than their rivals, with Forest set to demand huge money to sanction his departure this summer.