'Stay humble!' - Oliver Glasner downplays remarkable eight-game unbeaten record against Unai Emery after landmark Nottingham Forest win at Aston Villa

The victory on Saturday afternoon extended Glasner’s remarkable personal record against the former Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain boss. Across his tenures at Crystal Palace and now Nottingham Forest, the Austrian head coach has faced Emery eight times without tasting defeat, racking up six wins and two draws.

Reflecting on their pre-match interaction and his personal milestone, Glasner revealed he is well aware of the disparity in their respective trophy cabinets. 'I spoke to him (Emery) before the game and told him that it was still 5-2 to him, in terms of European trophies won. I said to myself "Oliver Glasner, stay humble",' the Forest head coach told reporters during his post-match press conference. 'I will stay that way. Every win is great, but I did not play one second today. The players deserve all the credit, because they did so well. Our fans deserve the credit, because they supported us. Now we will go home and have a lovely Saturday evening.'

The win was made even more impressive by the significant hurdles Forest faced in the final hours of their preparation. Glasner was forced into a late tactical reshuffle after losing both Nikola Milenkovic and Jair Cunha to hamstring injuries following Friday's final training session.

Glasner explained the chaotic nature of the build-up to the game, highlighting the late-night decisions required to field a competitive side. 'We are pleased with the win, but much more pleased with the performance and most pleased with the resilience showed today,' he said. 'It was 9.30pm when we got the result of scans that told us that Jair Cunha and Nikola could not play. I knocked at Ola and Ousmane’s door and told them they would be playing. I spoke with Ola a little bit about playing in the back three. I told him I think he can.'

The spirit of the squad was further exemplified by Brazilian defender Murillo, who battled through physical discomfort to ensure he was available for the clash at Villa Park. With Forest's defensive depth stretched to the limit, the center-back's willingness to play through the pain barrier proved crucial as goals from Liam Delap and Igor Jesus sealed a memorable 2-1 victory - making it six wins for Glasner over Emery - on an afternoon where Villa finished with ten men following an injury to Ian Maatsen.

Addressing the commitment shown by his defensive stalwarts, Glasner praised his Brazilian star's determination to lead the line. 'I can tell you now that Murillo had some pain in his knees before the game, in training. But he said "no, Gaffer, I will play,"' Glasner added, underlining the grit present in his dressing room.

While the celebrations will continue in Nottingham throughout the weekend, Glasner is already monitoring the fitness of his key personnel ahead of their next outing. The Reds are scheduled to face Coventry City on September 19, but they will likely have to do so without the services of Milenkovic, who faces a short spell on the sidelines.

Providing an update on the injured duo, Glasner sounded a note of caution regarding their return dates. 'Nikola was a bit more serious and will miss the Coventry game. We are hopeful that he will be back after the international break. We hope Jair could be back for the Coventry game. But we have to be cautious. Let’s see,' Glasner concluded.