By Graham Thomas
STEVE COOPER had spent the week picking his way through landmines – only to discover one had been hidden by Jonjo Shelvey.
Forest boss Cooper had tiptoed past the demanding vote of confidence issued by owner Evangelos Marinakis.
He had sidestepped critical voices and kept the fans behind him by saying all the right things, despite eight games without a win.
But just as he thought a share of the spoils at Villa might provide safe passage, he stumbled over Shelvey’s tripwire – a hidden piece of dumb defending.
Shelvey rolled the ball straight to Bertrand Traore for the first goal at the start of the second half after Keylor Navas had made the initial save.
Ollie Watkins’ coollytaken clincher in the fifth minute of added time – his ninth goal 11 games – sealed a fourth successive victory.
Unai Emery has transformed Villa, much to the delight of Prince William, who was cheering them on yesterday.
They are up to sixth place and European football beckons after Emery’s 11th win in 17 matches in charge, with six wins and a draw in their last seven.
Forest, by contrast, offered little as an attacking threat and are now back in the relegation zone.
Cooper acknowledged Shelvey’s costly error but was careful not to throw the midfielder under the bus.
“He probably won’t mind me saying he apologised for the goal,” said Cooper.
“I was frustrated by the goal and he knows that. It was a self-inflicted goal, it was obvious to see. But we’re a team and we win and lose together.”
As for his own position, Cooper added: “It’s not something I think about. I just want to work as hard as I can and do a better job.” ASTON VILLA: Martinez 7; Young 6, Konsa 6, Mings 6, Alex Moreno 8; Ramsey 7, Mcginn 8, Douglas Luiz 7, Buendia 6 (Dendoncker (75) 6); Watkins 6, Bailey 5 (Traore (28) 7) NOTTINGHAM FOREST: Navas 6; Williams 6, Worrall 6 (Awoniyi (65) 6), Felipe 6, Niakhate 6, Toffolo 6; Shelvey 4 (Mangala (65) 5), Kouyate 6 (Freuler (32) 6), Danilo 5 (Ayew (78) 5); Johnson 6, Gibbs-white 6 REF: Anthony Taylor 7 STAR MAN: Alex Moreno – Not often does a player dictate tempo, rhythm and threat from left-back. Moreno did.