Yahoo Sports Watkins and Duran 'tag-team' method is working 'just fine'
Three wins in a week, none of them perfect, but taken together they settled any nerves that might have been building through a winless run of eight games.
Southampton proved harder to finish off than would have been comfortable - although Aston Villa rarely felt under too much threat - but against Brentford and RB Leipzig, the freer-scoring side were back in business.
So far in the Champions League, Villa have caused as many defensive problems for themselves as other teams have for them, but they were worthy winners in Germany - even if the decisive goal was a touch fortuitous.
"Today we were thinking, if we won, we could be a contender in the last two matches to be in the top eight," said Unai Emery. "We achieved this option and we are going to try to get top eight."
It is a prize worth winning for Villa. Not only the prestige of being at such an advanced stage of this historic competition, but - and surely this thought will have occurred to Emery - two fewer games to play to get there.
Before then, there will be a chance to add to the squad if they wish and can afford to, bearing in mind how close to the limits they were last summer. Villa could be a very attractive option for good players looking for a new home in January - but to be good enough to get into the strongest XI may result in a big price tag.
Plus, the strongest possible Villa team is pretty difficult to get into, which brings us to the sharpening debate about Ollie Watkins and Jhon Duran.
Duran's latest European spectacular kept him in the spotlight, which he seems to love and appears to love him back.
A growing number of pundits, and possibly supporters, are suggesting that he should overtake Watkins as first choice. He seems impatient to do so - perhaps understandably - but, for now, Emery seems happy deploying them as a tag team.
Watkins, the "all-round striker" as Marc Albrighton said, can run a defence ragged, before Duran arrives fresh against tiring opponents.
Personal ambitions aside, it has been a good method for the team so far.
Duran turns 21 this week, so he need not rush. This plan is working just fine for him right now.
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