It’s amazing how quickly a miserable start to the season can be shrugged off when a genius manager turns the results around on a dime.
Aston Villa have won three games out of three in the league phase of the Champions League, banking three more points by beating Norwegian champions and title contenders Viking at Villa Park.
Villa cruised in the first half and were never really in trouble despite Viking winning some territory early in the second half and scoring a consolation goal after falling three goals behind.
Villa move on to nine points with far bigger Champions League challenges to come. Their recent encouraging form suggests plenty of reason for optimism.
Our Aston Villa player ratings vote for this match against Viking is now open so you can have your say.
Here are our ratings:
Zion Suzuki - 7
Limited involvement but passing was composed and highly competent, as usual. Saved well from Jesper Daland inside the last 20 minutes
Victor Lindelöf - 6
The coolest customer in an unfamiliar set-up. Untested defensively and unpestered in possession.
Tyrone Mings - 6
Not a great deal of defending to be done but kept the ball moving. One or two passes not quite up to scratch after the break.
Pau Torres - 8
Played in the middle of a back three with his slippers on. Won an important defensive header after five minutes. Picked some cracking passes up the gut or out wide for Alysson.
John McGinn - 7
Influential from kick-off and teased in the cross that Nicolas Jackson turned into the first effort on target. Made himself impossible to pick up by floating into all manner of weird positions.
Our Holy Trinity of match conclusions for this match will be available tomorrow exclusively for paid subscribers.
Upgrade now for our wraparound match coverage of every first team fixture and other features for just £4 per month.
João Gomes - 8
Got on the ball a lot from the start and got himself hurt making a good tackle inside the first ten minutes. Consistent quality in possession while playing in an unfamiliar role and doing his off-the-ball work as well. Substituted with 20 minutes left.
Ross Barkley - 7
Solid again. Quietly showed his experience to win a foul with Villa temporarily down to ten men early in the match. Glanced in the opening goal from yet another header. Went off with 20 minutes to go.
Emi Buendía - 7
Picked Jackson out with a good in-swinging cross after seven minutes. Gave the ball away a couple of times in the first quarter of the game and missed the easiest header he’ll ever be presented with in his career. His next header, from a corner, was rather better and forced a save.
Rolled Villa’s second in from the penalty spot and nearly backheeled in the third.
Alysson - 9
Excellent. Immediately aggressive with the ball on the right and threatened whenever he got into the final third, including on the left on occasion. Won a penalty after 33 minutes after cutting in from the right.
Played a brilliant pass through for Jackson while off-balance late in the first period, and got to the byline to set up a Buendía effort ten minutes into the second. Almost scored at the end of a strong run in behind on the right and made the third, an own goal, with a blistering piece of skill. Unstoppable in the second half and went off to a late ovation.
Ibrahim Mbaye - 6
Neat on the ball with his first involvements. Decent delivery from corners including the opening goal, headed in by Barkley. A little quiet by comparison with Alysson in the first half. Playing him on the left seems to force him to come back on his right foot and beat a player, and he’s having to do a little too much. Replaced by Alejandro Garnacho with 18 to go.
Nicolas Jackson - 7
Headed into the goalkeeper’s hands early on and did the same a couple of minutes later. Superb hold-up play and ball-carrying to get Villa out of trouble in the middle. Substituted with 20 minutes left.
Did you know you can make Aston Villa Review a preferred source on Google? This will help your Google services surface our work more frequently and that’s good for both of us. Give it a try!
Substitutes
Tammy Abraham (for Jackson, 70) - Tried a few creative touches and looked as fired up as ever. 6
Leon Goretzka (for Barkley, 70) - Straight into the game and picking passes for fun. 7
Matty Cash (for Gomes, 70) - Limited involvement off the bench with Villa shifting to more of a back four. 6
Alejandro Garnacho (for Mbaye, 72) - Came on full of intent and nearly made himself a first Villa goal at the end of a positive run. Almost picked out the top corner in the last ten minutes. 7
George Hemmings (for Alysson, 74) - Seamless introduction. Quickly got in Viking’s faces and won possession back high up by getting a throw-in. 6