However, with great success come even greater challenges. Fortunately, Villa have made a storming start in the new format of the Champions League, though their league form to date has been decidedly mixed. At the same time, the early-season form of Jhon Durán and the current depth of the squad surely give cause for optimism as the busiest part of the English football calendar looms ahead.

Fighting on all fronts

As we head into the international break, Villa stand ninth in the Premier League table yet just a point off third, with a healthy three wins out of four in the Champions League. There have, however, been signs of tiredness in the legs in recent weeks, with surprise defeats to Crystal Palace in the EFL Cup and Club Brugge in Europe and a heavy loss at Spurs in the Premier League.

Looking at the list of Aston Villa matches in November and December, it should be no surprise that many bookmakers are now offering slightly longer odds on them making the Champions League for the second year in succession. In particular, the games against Juventus, RB Leipzig and Manchester City look like a tough ask in a crowded calendar – which may result in some below-par performances, and dropped points, in the league.

This is why the early form of Jhon Durán bodes well for the rest of the campaign. The young Colombian striker has already hit eight goals, including two in the Champions League and several stunners. Despite wanting to leave in the summer, Durán looks set to play a key role for the rest of the season. Although he has been limited to appearances off the bench at times, we can expect this to change as the games start piling up – a clear demonstration of the strength of the Villa squad.

Help from the bench

Of course, manager Unai Emery will know that any team competing both in the Champions League and
domestically will have to make good use of their entire squad. Fortunately, Villa arguably have their strongest bench for decades. Emi Buendía, for example, is ready to challenge the starting 11 again after a long injury layoff. At 27, the diminutive Argentinian will hope to regain the magical form that saw him called up to the national team squad.

Another player who will be hoping to step up in the coming months is Jaden Philogene. The talented young winger, who was signed from Hull in the summer, currently has more red cards than goals or assists in claret and blue. As he adjusts to the pace of the Premier League, however, he will surely start to make an impact. On the other end of the scale, old head Ross Barkley will hope to keep using his experience and undoubted technical skills to lend a hand in midfield.

Young talent and old heads

One other positive over the first part of the season has been the superb form of Morgan Rogers. After a promising first season at Villa, the 22-year-old Englishman has established a reputation as one of the liveliest and most dangerous forwards in the league. His tally of three goals and two assists so far signals the remarkable rise of a footballer who was playing League One football just three years ago. Talks of an England call-up in the coming months are surely not too wide of the mark if he can maintain his high standards.

Of course, Villa’s likely progress to the latter rounds of the Champions League would bring renewed pressure in the new year and place further strain on the resources of Emery’s squad. Fortunately, they can rely on some experienced heads to guide them through, not least World Cup-winning goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez. Youri Tielemans, who at 27 years of age already has more than 500 club appearances and 74 international caps for Belgium, will be another key figure.