Aston Villa are through to the Europa League final after a dominant 4-0 second leg victory against Nottingham Forest, winning 4-1 on aggregate.

Goals from Ollie Watkins, Emiliano Buendia and a brace from John McGinn blew away Forest, who had been leading 1-0 after the first leg. Villa will now play Freiburg in Istanbul on May 20.

The Athletic’s Jacob Tanswell and Paul Taylor break down a monumental victory for Villa and a painful defeat for Forest…

Third time lucky for Unai Emery’s Villa

This was Villa’s third semi-final in as many seasons and the first one they had won. Villa attributed the first defeat, a 6-2 aggregate defeat to Olympiacos, to tiredness at the end of a long season and inexperience. Last season was far more galling, losing 3-0 in an FA Cup semi-final to Crystal Palace.

After losing the first leg against Forest, those scars threatened to deepen. So to overturn the deficit and produce a performance, one of their best, most tactically and physically astute, of the season felt significant. Particularly to overcome any psychological block and give the club an opportunity to win their first major trophy in three decades.

This was, unmistakably, the biggest game of Emery’s tenure and rather than sleepwalk and be passive, they cranked up the intensity and performance. Fittingly, John McGinn scored Villa’s third and fourth of the night. The captain has been the catalyst of this era and everything good about Villa, he often embodies. He called for team-mates to show up and be counted for on Thursday — they followed his lead.

A final in Istanbul awaits where McGinn and Emery can rubber stamp this era with a deserved trophy.

Jacob Tanswell

(Darren Staples/Getty Images)

Buendia’s footwork sets the tone

Villa’s intentions were obvious from the outset. Ollie Watkins took kick-off, backheeling the ball to Youri Tielemans before surging forward. Villa aimed to think forward and go forward immediately.

The atmosphere was thunderous. The home supporters cheered and applauded every tackle, pass and action, with Villa clearly cutting a different, more positive team than the one that was heavily criticised for a lack of energy and desire against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Villa were far more affirmative in their approach in and out of possession, pressing high and aggressively and fizzing the ball into the feet of their three No 10s, in Morgan Rogers, John McGinn and Emiliano Buendia.

Unai Emery’s side were on top for much of the half, but knew they had to find the telling quality in the final third — a trait that has often deserted them this season. This duly arrived in the 36th minute, when Villa pressed high and regained possession after Emiliano Martinez’s long kick forward.

Emiliano Buendia combined with Watkins before superbly jinking past two Forest players inside the box, shifting the ball onto his left foot and showing ample composure to pick out the England international.

Watkins fired in from close range, causing a deafening atmosphere inside Villa Park. Villa had to start well to keep the palpable anxiety from taking over and through Buendia’s swift, nimble feet, found the quality to level the tie and seize momentum. 

Jacob Tanswell

Did injuries finally catch up with Forest?

Vitor Pereira had rested many of his big hitters at Chelsea, to keep his side fresh for this game. But it was still the absence of some of their more influential figures through injury that had an impact at Villa Park.

Murillo, Ibrahim Sangare and Morgan Gibbs-White were only fit enough for a place on the bench, while Ola Aina was missing from the squad completely.

Who knows if it would have made a difference against a Villa side that played with intensity and drive from the first minute, to gradually take a vice-like grip on the game. But the absence of their talisman, Gibbs-White, was particularly keenly felt.

Morgan Gibbs-White sporting the wounds of his collision with Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez (Mike Egerton/Getty Images)

Forest had little in the way of attacking creativity, they were dominated in midfield — where they missed the physical presence of Sangare — and a make shift back four looked less balanced and assured without Aina in particular.

And for the first time in recent weeks, Pereira’s attempts to change the tide by making changes off the bench did not have the desired effect. As he tinkered with his formation and his personnel, Villa’s dominance only grew.

Forest had not lost in ten games, they had not failed to score since they began that run with a 0-0 draw against Fulham. But, shorn of some big players, they also for once looked short of ideas.

That unbeaten run has been enough to push them close to Premier League survival — and got them into the semi-final of the Europa League.

But in the West Midlands, against a quality Villa side, it was a step to far.

What did Emery say?

We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.

What did Pereira say?

We will bring you this after he has spoken at the post-match press conference.