Aston Villa claimed a 1-0 win over Fenerbahce as the Villains booked their place in the last 16 of the Europa League.
Villa could have scored more, but a solitary goal from Jadon Sancho was enough to seal the win and claim three crucial points.
The Villains are back in the win column after a rough spell and have attacker Sancho to thank for his decisive impact in the final third.
Sancho finally opened his account for the Birmingham-based club on his 19th appearance and delivered arguably his best performance.
Sancho was ‘electric’ on the left flank. Besides the goal, he had a couple more chances to add to his tally. He also created an excellent opportunity that Villa failed to capitalise on.
Defensively, he really helped out his team, winning five out of eight ground duels, three out of three tackles, and making one clearance.
After struggling to break into Unai Emery’s XI, the Englishman made a statement. This is the kind of performance that earns players a run in the first team.
Now comes the hard part for Sancho – backing it up. One eye-catching night in Europe is encouraging, but it has to become the rule rather than the exception.
Too often in his recent career, Sancho has drifted in and out of games, waiting for moments to come to him rather than forcing the issue.
Against Fenerbahce, he played with purpose, aggression and responsibility, demanding the ball, driving at defenders and influencing the contest at both ends of the pitch.
That is the standard he should be setting for himself every week. The manager believes he has ‘huge potential’, but he needs to show it more consistently.
If Sancho can maintain this intensity and take the bull by the horns for the remainder of the season, he will give Emery a genuine selection headache.
More importantly, gives Villa a weapon they have been missing during their recent slump.