Aston Villa failed to win their sixth Premier League match in a row after slipping to a 1-1 draw against Brentford last weekend, however, coming back to steal a point showcases the improved mentality throughout Unai Emery’s side recently.
Douglas Luiz slotted home an equaliser with just a few minutes remaining, and the point further enhances Villa’s European ambitions as they sit just two points behind Tottenham Hotspur in fifth spot.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Villa Park side as they prepare to face Fulham this evening and with the Cottagers enjoying a successful season of their own, it could prove to be an exciting clash.
Emery won’t be making many changes to his team ahead of the match as Emiliano Martinez should be available after being substituted during the draw against Brentford due to illness.
Following a relatively quiet afternoon in front of goal, the Spaniard could mix things up slightly by unleashing winger Bertrand Traore against Fulham in the hopes he can continue his recent form.
Will Bertrand Traore start against Fulham?
The winger was brought back to the club by Emery in January following a six-month loan spell at Turkish side Basaksehir FK, where he scored three times, as some added cover to the wide positions.
Since returning, he has played a part in five matches and has scored twice, including a vital late winner against Leicester City at the start of April which continued their momentum.
His 12-minute cameo against the Foxes meant he started the following encounter with Nottingham Forest, and he didn’t disappoint, receiving a 7.1 rating via Sofascore for his efforts.
The 27-year-old demonstrated his talents during his first start for the club since leaving Turkey as he took three shots, won half of his ground duels, completed 91% of his passes and was fouled twice, clearly giving opposition defenders a tough time on the wing.
Although Emery perhaps sees the £17m winger as a better option to have come on from the bench and utilise his skills on tired opponents than unleashing him from the start, his display against Forest proves that he can get involved from the very first whistle.
He is still capable of producing moments of magic, with the winner against the Foxes drawing massive praise from journalist Matt Maher, who said: "You can't help but like a player like Bertrand Traore. All the times he frustrates, are forgiven when he produces something as ridiculously brilliant as that winner. Nonchalance personified."
Will Traore be the most important player for Villa during this impressive run? No, but he pops up from nowhere and produces important moments. This is why Emery has to unleash him this evening.