Analysis: Unai Emery stays focused on bigger picture despite dream start to Aston Villa reign

In his first match as Villa boss, Unai Emery achieved something which had eluded his predecessors for more than a quarter of a century by beating Manchester United at home in the Premier League.

Perhaps the most stunning aspect of the club’s first league victory in B6 over the Red Devils since goals Ian Taylor, Mark Draper and Dwight Yorke secured a 3-1 win on August 19, 1995, which prompted Alan Hansen to famously warn Alex Ferguson he’d never win anything with kids, was its relative ease.

Only after Luke Shaw’s wayward drive had deflected wickedly off Jacob Ramsey just before half-time – a freak goal typical of where the luck usually lies in this fixture – did there feel any doubt. That was quickly extinguished when Ramsey himself restored the two-goal advantage, provided by Leon Bailey and Lucas Digne’s early strikes, four minutes into the second half and from there until the final whistle Villa pretty much cruised it. Six minutes of stoppage time was played out in a party atmosphere, Emery’s name ringing round the stands.

The head coach’s reaction at the final whistle, however, was telling. Emery allowed himself the smallest of smiles and a couple of fist pumps as he walked briskly down the touchline before being one of the first to disappear down the tunnel.

Finally beating United at Villa Park was always going to feel more than an ordinary win for supporters who have been so regularly tormented by this fixture. Yet the message from the head coach could not have been clearer: This was an excellent start but no more. Plenty of hard work lies ahead.

As Emery pointed out post-match, Villa had already shown they were capable of big performances just a fortnight previously when they battered Brentford 4-0. The trouble has been delivering such displays consistently, not least away from home, where they are yet to win in the league this season and have lost five out of seven. If they are now able to follow up yesterday’s display when they visit United for a League Cup tie on Thursday and again next Sunday at Brighton, in the final match before the World Cup break, then Emery’s reign truly will be off to a lightening start.

Caution, of course, is in-built into a fanbase which has witnessed its fair share of false dawns. That said, after yesterday, there is also cause to wonder what might be possible once Emery really has time to work with his new players.

The Spaniard had only taken his first training session on Wednesday, with some members of his coaching team not starting work till even later in the week as they awaited visas.

And yet there was already a noticeable and effective change in Villa’s approach. Patient with the ball at the back, the hosts bided their time before getting it out to what were effectively three banks of two in front of the back four, the most advanced of which featured Bailey and the excellent Ollie Watkins. With Ramsey and Emi Buendia taking it in turns to drop deep, Villa seemed to have acres of space and time during the opening minutes and they took full advantage.

Emery's energy and non-stop movement in the technical area - which will quickly make him a crowd favourite should he deliver positive results - translated to his players. Villa got their first when Watkins held off the challenge of Victor Lindelof as he ran infield and with the United centre-back out of position, found Ramsey then sent Bailey on his way, the Jamaica international striking a fine finish across David De Gea and inside the far post.

Soon after it was two when Ramsey pounced on a loose pass and was felled by Shaw. Lucas Digne sent a brilliant free-kick over the wall and inside the far post with Emi Martinez, in what was either a tactical ploy or diversionary tactic, stood in the United half seemingly telling Tyrone Mings where best to position in himself in the wall to block De Gea’s view.

United, who only arrived back in the UK on Friday evening following a Europa League defeat to Real Sociedad, looked sluggish and more than contributed to their own downfall. With Bruno Fernandes missing through injury, neither was this among the strongest XI they have fielded at Villa Park in the last 27 years. And yet they usually find a way.

Many home supporters would have feared the worst at half-time after watching their team’s advantage halved in the most unlucky of circumstances but Ramsey soothed any nerves with a pinpoint finish into the top corner, his second goal of the season.

The 21-year-old was named man-of-the-match and it was impossible to quibble after he had become only the fourth player ever in the Premier League to score a goal, an own goal and register an assist in the same afternoon.

Yet the biggest positive here was the collective showing, with Emery utilising all five substitutions – including a first outing of the season for the formerly outcast Morgan Sanson – with no adverse effect on the team’s rhythm.

Villa had begun the day outside the relegation zone only by virtue of having beaten Southampton, with whom they shared exactly the same record, earlier in the campaign. This win means that, barring an extraordinary sequence of results next weekend, they will remain out of the bottom three during the six-week World Cup hiatus. From a psychological point of view, that is significant.

Escaping danger as quickly as possible remains Emery’s first priority and there will inevitably be tough days to come. But in a season which has so far made supporters despair, yesterday provided hope there could yet be some good times ahead.