Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White has delivered a brutally honest assessment of his side’s performance after their narrow 1–0 victory over Aston Villa.

🗣 “We should have won 3–0” Morgan Gibbs-White criticises performance despite Forest win

Nottingham Forest captain Morgan Gibbs-White has delivered a brutally honest assessment of his side’s performance after their narrow 1–0 victory over Aston Villa.

Despite securing all three points, the midfielder admitted Forest were far from their best on the night and should have won by a more convincing margin.

“We are not at our best tonight. We should have won 3–0,” Gibbs-White said after the final whistle. “Their tactics were bad — they kept delaying the restart.”

The England international did not hold back in his criticism of Villa’s approach, suggesting the visitors were overly defensive and focused on running down the clock rather than competing openly.

“All they prayed for was a draw,” he added. “But I’m glad we smashed it.”

The decisive moment of the match came in the first half when Chris Wood calmly converted from the penalty spot to give Forest the lead. That goal ultimately proved enough to separate the two sides in a tense encounter at the City Ground.

While Forest controlled large parts of the game, they struggled to convert further chances, leaving the contest finely balanced until the final whistle. Villa, for their part, attempted to frustrate the hosts with a compact defensive setup and a slower tempo.

The victory strengthens Forest’s position as they continue to push for consistency, but Gibbs-White’s comments highlight a clear demand for higher standards within the squad.

Full-time: Nottingham Forest 1–0 Aston Villa