Aston Villa found their clinical edge in a commanding Champions League victory over Fenerbahce, their first win at Villa Park this season and the biggest European win in their history. Nicolas Jackson celebrated his first-half double with a cutting motion, as Johan Manzambi and Jackson gave Villa complete control before the break, with the rout reaching six goals in total.
Manager Unai Emery said his side had been affected by the rebuild of the North Stand after three winless home games this season, but they showed no signs of struggle. The six-goal win leaves Villa well placed to reach the Champions League knockout phase and adds to their slowly growing momentum. Ross Barkley's double and Tammy Abraham's late tap-in deepened the visitors' woes, and Villa's recent form now stands at just one defeat in their last seven games.
Questions had been building after Villa picked up only one point from their opening three Premier League home games, even though Saturday's 2-2 draw with Brentford avoided a third-straight home league defeat under Emery. Despite former Premier League players in the Fenerbahce side, including Ederson, Nathan Ake, Romelu Lukaku and Nelson Semedo, the visitors folded quickly in the first half despite two important saves from Zion Suzuki.
Emery's rebuild still needs time, with 10 new players to adapt following a chaotic summer of change. He said: "There is still a lot of work to do and we need time, we are progressively getting better and it was a good step forward." Attention now turns to the Premier League clash with Newcastle, where Villa need points.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing