McGinn and Durán feast on Bologna to put Villa top of the table

In the seconds after John McGinn gave Aston Villa the lead, the scoreboards in opposite corners malfunctioned, flickering and displaying a 3-0 scoreline over Bologna courtesy of a hat-trick in double-quick time from their captain. For a moment it was pure fantasy but Unai Emery's side really are top of the reformed Champions League, the only team with a 100% record so far having played three matches.

- Ben Fisher

McGinn inadvertently scored the first directly from a free-kick before Jhon Durán added a second. Everybody of a Villa persuasion was on cloud nine, then?

Not quite. Durán's fine, hooked finish proved his final touch of the game and after being replaced by Ollie Watkins he thudded a padded seat in the home dugout and then booted the back of another chair. Amadou Onana, who was withdrawn at half-time, attempted to soothe Durán's anger, as did a member of Emery's staff. A few minutes later the striker headed down the tunnel. It was the only obviously sour note for Villa on a night when Boubacar Kamara returned to action for the first time since sustaining a serious knee injury in February. Sam Beukema rattled the woodwork late on for Bologna but Villa's victory was never in doubt after McGinn opened the scoring.

Topping a historic victory over Bayern Munich was always going to be an impossible task but nevertheless the pre-match bells and whistles spoke to this being another special occasion. There was a round of fizzing pyrotechnics, fireworks and a giant tifo banner featuring three roaring lions. The cameraphones of supporters were out in force.