Heading into their 10th Premier League game of the season, Aston Villa are just two points off second place.

It’s been quite the turnaround, hasn’t it? From struggling to create chances, let alone score goals, it was Matty Cash’s long-range strike against Sunderland that ended their long wait for a league goal in their fifth league match of the campaign.

To his credit, Harvey Elliott scored Villa’s first goal of the season against Brentford just days prior, and although it was served on a plate, it was still something to cheer.

However, Villa succumbed to a Carabao Cup exit on penalties at the Gtech Community, before then throwing away three points at Sunderland, who were down to 10 men. Cash’s goal was the only shot on target Villa managed against the depleted Sunderland side, but it was one of the small building blocks Unai Emery’s team needed to overcome a very disappointing start.

Then came John McGinn’s goal, which was all it took to beat Bologna, with Ollie...