'Ola Aina didn't play' - Ex-Man Utd star Hargreaves on why Forest struggled defensively v Aston Villa

Former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has offered insight into why Nottingham Forest struggled defensively, especially in the first half, during their 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday evening, pointing to the absence of key players as a major factor.

A calf injury ruled out the Nigeria international fullback, while injuries also kept Chris Wood and Taiwo Awoniyi out of the squad for the trip to B6 6QE. 

Speaking about the match on Premier League Productions, which was monitored by allnigeriasoccer.com, Hargreaves noted that the absence of Ola Aina and Forest's two primary strikers left the team lacking in crucial areas.

"Nuno Espírito Santo mentioned there Ola Aina didn’t play, and they didn’t have the two strikers," Hargreaves explained. 

"So they had to try and find something else, but again, you cannot start well, and you can’t afford to concede."

Forest’s defensive performance was a major talking point following the loss, as they conceded two goals that Hargreaves described as "really sloppy." 

The former player expressed disappointment, pointing out that poor defending led to the goals. 

"The reason they’re in a Champions League place is because they’ve been so good defensively," he said, referencing the strong defensive record that had helped propel Forest into a top-four position prior to the defeat.

Hargreaves further criticized the way the first goal unfolded, describing it as 'ridiculous.' 

He observed that one of the defenders, Morato, appeared distracted during the build-up, stating, "Morato is looking at his shoe or his shin guard." 

Additionally, Hargreaves referred to Morgan Rogers' assessment of the situation, further illustrating the frustration with the defensive errors.

Aina's record of starting every Premier League in the 2024-2025 season came to end on matchday 31.

Wale Adejumo

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