Nottingham Forest eased their Premier League relegation worries with a 1-1 home draw against Aston Villa, a result that moved Vitor Pereira's team three points clear of the bottom three and kept Forest level with Leeds United, while staying just ahead of a resurgent West Ham in a tight survival fight.
Neco Williams scored the crucial equaliser in the first half, then stressed that Forest must treat every remaining league match as a cup final, especially after Tottenham's defeat at Sunderland on Sunday allowed Forest to stretch the gap to the relegation places at a key stage of the season.
Vitor Pereira praised both sides after Villa pushed hard for a winner, with Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins threatening in the second period, and the Forest
manager felt the point could prove valuable against opponents chasing Champions League qualification and carrying strong attacking weapons throughout the ninety minutes.
"It was a good point in a difficult game against a very difficult opponent. Opportunities from one side, opportunities from the other. In the end, one point I think is a good result," Pereira said on Sky Sports.
"Villa is a team not easy to control. They create some problems, you try to face the problems and create our own chances. After the goal, it's the character, confidence, spirit. We scored our goal and had chances to score more goals, and they did as well. "
Williams has now produced one goal and two assists across Forest's last two Premier League fixtures, meaning the Wales full-back has been involved in three goals during that short spell, which is more than across Williams' previous 32 league appearances combined, when Williams contributed just two direct goal involvements.
The defender also carried Forest's main attacking threat against Villa, attempting a game-high four shots, three of which hit the target, and those numbers underlined Williams' growing influence in the final third as Forest searched for extra goals to steer clear of the relegation battle during this tense run.
Forest's improvement under Pereira has still come with a run of home stalemates, as the club have drawn five of six Premier League matches at the City Ground in 2026, a higher total of home draws than any other top-flight side during the calendar year, which reflects tight contests and missed chances.
Nottingham Forest Premier League relegation battle shaped by mentality
Williams described how the dressing room is trying to ignore other results, even though Tottenham's loss at Sunderland and Leeds United's trip to Manchester United on Monday both affect the table, and instead concentrate on Forest's own performances while pressure builds near the bottom of the Premier League standings.
"You don't want to look at the table too much because you want to focus on yourself. It's hard not to with the position we are in. It's a good point, and we need to build on that," Williams told Sky Sports.
"Every game for us now is a cup final. Every point is so important. We need to build and carry on with this momentum. "
Williams revealed that the coaching staff have encouraged long-range efforts, which shaped the approach against Villa on a slick surface, with the conditions at the City Ground helping shots from distance skid awkwardly and adding another route to goal for Forest during a tense Premier League relegation battle encounter.
"The manager has been telling me to shoot outside the box more, and that's what I did," Williams added. "I took a few, and one went in, so I'm pleased with that. With the surface and the rain, it was important to get our shots off. "
Key attacking numbers from the match underlined the influence of Williams in Forest's performance, especially as Forest looked to relieve pressure by counter-attacking quickly whenever Villa lost the ball high up the pitch and left space for runners down the flanks and in advanced wide positions.
Support at the City Ground remained strong during the tense draw, with Nottingham Forest fans backing the players loudly throughout the match, something that has become a regular factor this season as the club fights to stay in the Premier League relegation battle and avoid another drop.
Incredible support this afternoon, Reds. pic.twitter.com/egeYQ6nnCSNottingham Forest (@NFFC) April 12, 2026
Pereira also explained the late attacking substitutions, saying Forest wanted more than a draw despite the danger posed by Villa's forwards, and stressed that collecting something from every match now is essential as the Premier League relegation battle tightens near the bottom of the table.
"When we decided to bring on another striker, we wanted to win the game. Three points would be better than one. We are in the right way with the right spirit. It's important to get points every game until the end. "
