Aston Villa recorded the biggest European win in their history, beating Fenerbahce 6-0 at Villa Park to claim a first home victory of the season and leave themselves well placed to reach the Champions League knockout phase.
Nicolas Jackson led the way with a first-half double, celebrating his goals with a cutting motion that felt apt on a night when Villa found their clinical edge. Johan Manzambi also struck before the break to put Unai Emery’s side three goals up, before Ross Barkley’s double and Tammy Abraham’s late tap-in completed the rout. Villa had gone in at half-time in complete control, and the goals came in front of the skeleton of the North Stand – an end towards which they had previously scored only once this season.
The margin carried extra weight given Villa’s difficulties at home. Emery said his side had been affected by the rebuilding of the North Stand, with three winless games at Villa Park this season, and Villa had taken just one point from their opening three Premier League home fixtures. Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Brentford at least ensured they avoided a third-straight home league defeat under Emery for the first time since February 2024.
Fenerbahce arrived with a squad scattered with former Premier League players, including Ederson, Nathan Ake, Romelu Lukaku and Nelson Semedo, and would have been a formidable opponent five years ago. Instead, the Turkish visitors folded quickly in the first half as Manzambi and Jackson put the hosts out of sight.
The scale of the win was also a throwback. Villa last scored so many in a 6-1 victory over Brighton three years ago, and had previously put five past Hibernian in the Europa Conference League in 2023. The result extended their recent form to just one defeat in their last seven games.
Emery, though, was keen to keep the performance in perspective. “They didn’t deserve 6-0 but for us it was very important how we achieved the first win at home and how we managed with different players, our progression and step forward,” he said. “There is still a lot of work to do and we need time, we are progressively getting better and it was a good step forward. In the Champions League the three points are important. We want to be a protagonist in the Champions League. Now the clear objective is against Newcastle because of the lack of points in the Premier League.”
Former Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov, speaking to TNT, saw signs of a team coming together. “I think that’s what Emery has been talking about with the potential of this team and what they can do,” he said. “There’s been a lot of questions from the start of the season, even for this game as well. People asking how far they can go in this competition but it seems as though they’re clicking together and there’s a flow to their game. The players that Emery has brought in are starting to perform really well and it’s a well-deserved win.”
Jackson, a record £65m signing, arrived to replace the departing Ollie Watkins after his £50m switch to Al-Hilal. He joined having helped Bayern Munich win the Bundesliga last season on loan from Chelsea, and was reunited at Villa Park with Emery, under whom he had worked at Villarreal. The 25-year-old was given his debut by Emery and scored the manager’s final goal for the club, a last-minute winner against Almeria, before Emery left for Villa in October 2022.
The only thing missing for Jackson was a hat-trick, with Barkley – the pre-arranged penalty taker – converting from the spot. “I wanted to take it but the most important thing is we win. Hopefully next time I’ll get the hat-trick,” Jackson said. “It’s very important. We haven’t won at home. Our keeper is amazing.” His four goals in three games and five for the season have allowed Villa and their supporters to move on quickly from Watkins, their record Premier League scorer, following a summer exit that threatened to turn acrimonious.
Emery was full of praise for his forward. “Jackson is doing a fantastic job,” he said. “He’s scoring, he’s working defensively and helping the team. This is very important and maybe in the future he can shoot from the spot as well.” The shoots of progress were visible elsewhere too: Manzambi glided past powerless Fenerbahce tackles, Ibrahim Mbaye found space to exploit even if he still needs to improve, and Leon Goretzka made his debut as a late substitute. Zion Suzuki made two important saves and remained commanding, continuing to slip into his role with ease.
Villa will now be eager for Saturday’s trip to Newcastle, who shipped four against Coventry on Monday to leave them with the joint-worst defensive record in the Premier League. Jackson is hopeful his attacking partnerships can flourish. “He is a top player. I’m really happy we’re playing together. I hope we score many more goals together,” he said of Manzambi. “Mbaye is an amazing player. We’re in the Senegal national team together and hopefully he’ll get more time to play. He’s very fast and it’s good to have him.”