The highs of the December festive period can often be followed by a lull in January. The Christmas decorations come down, healthy eating begins, and it is back to the daily routine for many of us.

Such a new-year dip could have easily occurred for Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon.

Glamour victories over Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in the final month of 2025 made way for a bread-and-butter January home fixture against relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest in a bitingly cold lunchtime kick-off.

In the end, a routine 3-1 victory on Saturday was arguably more impressive than those December triumphs, with Unai Emery’s side showing the sort of dominance, resilience and focus befitting of a side pushing for Champions League football next season.

There is a welcome pressure that is building for Villa to hold onto a top-three position at the very least, and if they are to show further title-winning credentials, then breaking down opponents’ stubborn low-block defences is the hallmark of any elite side.

Some of the best teams in the Premier League have struggled to break down such low blocks in recent games.

Leeds United frustrated Liverpool to clinch a 0-0 draw at Anfield on Thursday and Sunderland did the same to visitors Manchester City in another stalemate a couple of hours later, while it needed a last-minute own-goal for Arsenal to snatch a 2-1 home win against bottom side Wolves three weeks ago.

That was the task that Villa faced in Saturday’s first half in particular.

Forest sat back in a compact defensive unit, trying to condense the space and frustrate Emery’s side. Aside from an early Ollie Watkins chance that was sharply saved, their frustration was building as the half wore on.

Ollie Watkins’ goal just before half-time was a key moment in the match (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

But Villa did not panic. They sustained attacks excellently and kept the pressure on, suffocating Forest whenever they had the temerity to begin their own passing sequences. As evidence of this, Villa regained possession in the attacking third on eight occasions across the game — they have not had more in any Premier League match this season.

That dominance in possession is highlighted by the field tilt — denoting the share of touches within each team’s attacking third — for the match. Villa’s share of 86 per cent was not just their highest of the season, but their best since they returned to the Premier League in 2019.

Such persistent ball circulation is highlighted in the game’s pass network below, where Villa often looked towards their right flank as a way of progressing the ball. With right-back Matty Cash available again after suspension, 42 per cent of their attacking touches came down the right third of the pitch — their second-highest share in the Premier League this season.