In a surprising turn of events this season, Nottingham Forest have emerged as serious contenders for a top-four finish in the Premier League. After a thrilling 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, Villa's manager Unai Emery has now officially recognized Forest as rivals in the race for coveted Champions League spots.

Anthony Elanga's dramatic late winner at the City Ground not only secured all three points for Forest but also propelled them into fourth place in the league with a total of 28 points. This places them just three points ahead of Villa, who currently sit in sixth place, and only two points shy of third-placed Arsenal.

Emery commented on the evolving landscape of the league, stating, “We are in the process and we have to understand it. We were on 25 points with Nottingham Forest. They're our rival now.” His remarks highlight the tough competition and the pressure that comes with chasing a Champions League position.

The experienced manager reflected on the importance of consistency and learning from current challenges: “Of course, being under pressure is more difficult, and this is the process we have to try to learn from. We lost a very good opportunity today. We need to strive for more consistency in the league.”

Looking ahead, Villa will face a formidable challenge when they host defending champions Manchester City on December 21. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest will travel to Brentford on the same day, hoping to further solidify their standing in the league.

As teams across the league continue to battle for supremacy, will Nottingham Forest maintain their ascent, or will other contenders rise to the challenge? The race for the Champions League is heating up, and every match counts in this thrilling Premier League season!