Aston Villa Champions League Start: Three Wins From Three

Aston Villa's Perfect Champions League Start Aston Villa's Champions League campaign under Unai Emery has been built on control, and the league-phase 3-1 win over Viking FK at Villa Park may be the clearest example yet. Villa held the game for the first half with a shape few expected: a back three and no full-backs, with Tyrone Mings, Victor Lindelöf and Pau Torres alongside a hybrid right-back in João Gomes.

"We played a very serious match, disciplined, organised, and then tried to impose ourselves and dominate with our capacity, both collectively and individually," said Emery. Villa won 3-1, their third victory from three, with Ross Barkley's near-post header, Emiliano Buendía's penalty and an effort from Alysson Edward given as an own goal.

The My Old Man Said podcast show dedicated to the game calls the first half the most controlled it has seen under Emery. Viking were expected to flood midfield, but were left suffocated in their own half with any threat in transition nullified, before it could even be triggered.

Then we look at the individual contributions and the bigger questions, like the Villa penalty-taking position, as Villa surprise a few and begin their Champions League in confident fashion. Become a member → Credits: David Michael -@myoldmansaid Phillip Shaw -@prsgame Found this article informative?