Aston Villa fans will have woken up this morning wondering whether their 1-0 Champions League triumph over Bayern Munich was all just a dream.
The club have endured a phenomenal rise under Unai Emery over the past two years, with Aston Villa going from relegation contenders to big-name killers in the Champions League.
Jhon Duran’s incredible winner just 10 minutes from time was a reward for resolute defending and Emery’s clear game plan working to perfection.
Aston Villa were happy to sit back in their shape and exploit the big spaces Bayern left behind on the counter as Ollie Watkins ran Dayot Upamecano ragged.
This tactical tweak wasn’t the only call that Emery got emphatically correct on the night, as the decision to start one certain player paid off.
Jaden Philogene’s outstanding performance against Bayern Munich
Emery threw up a surprise with his team selection on Wednesday night as winger Jaden Philogene made his first start since returning to the club this summer.
Last season, Philogene was plying his trade with Hull City in the Championship, so his selection for a Champions League tie would have raised eyebrows but it was a call that paid dividends.
Starting on the right wing over Leon Bailey, the 22-year-old caused havoc against the Bayern Munich defence every time he received the ball, as he completed 100% of his dribbles.
Philogene also displayed his incredible work rate and ability to track back by winning the most ground duels of any player on the pitch (8).
To step onto the biggest stage in European football and produce that level of performance would have impressed Emery, and the ‘ridiculous’ winger now deserves to start on Sunday against Manchester United.
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Jaden Philogene can keep Leon Bailey out of the Aston Villa starting XI
While Philogene had a night to remember, it was a night to forget for Bailey from a personal point of view.
Initially, the 27-year-old was left on the bench as Jacob Ramsey and Philogene started on both wings.
However, that game plan was shaken up somewhat when Ramsey had to come off injured in the first half, with Bailey replacing him in the 27th minute.
This saw Philogene move into a left-wing position while Bailey lined up on the right but what came after would have surprised everyone inside Villa Park.
In the 60th minute of the match – just 33 minutes after coming on – Emery made the ruthless decision to hook off Bailey and bring on Ian Maatsen in his place.
That was a humiliating moment for the Jamaican, who looked off the pace, and that could have a huge bearing on his place in the starting XI.
Following his lacklustre display on Wednesday, Philogene can now take full advantage in the coming games, with Emery doing something that is rarely seen at Aston Villa – and that is dropping Bailey from the starting XI for an extended period.
