A key metric with Emery is “duels” and no Villa player came out on top of their match-up. Club B ruges made three times as many interceptions and twice the number of clearances. Villa made four tackles in the attacking half, none in the attacking third, and their hosts, typically direct in style, grew in confidence when playing from deep.

After a lengthy injury absence that kept Tyrone Mings out of action for 14 months, he would have relished the opportunity to start the Champions League match against Club Bruges. Mings, capped 18 times by England,