Aston Villa enjoyed a swift return to Premier League action with another clash last night, and continued their magnificent upturn in form under Unai Emery.
The Spaniard had previously steered his new side well clear of the relegation zone with relative ease, yet reached new heights last weekend by toppling Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. It was a result that saw them leapfrog the struggling west London giants, and they would only exacerbate that gap with a 2-1 victory yesterday.
However, it was far from the routine result that they would have hoped for against managerless relegation-struggling Leicester City.
Despite enjoying 64% of possession, it took an 87th-minute strike from Bertrand Traore to seal all three points, after Ollie Watkins had put them ahead early in the first half.
The English striker has hit a vein of imperious goalscoring form, and his finish against the Foxes marked his eighth goal contribution in Villa's last ten league matches.
Having now struck double figures for a third consecutive season, the 27-year-old will now seek to topple his best tally of 14 before the season's end.
However, despite him once again finding the net, it was arguably another of his teammates that stole the show with their display. Given the injury to Matty Cash, many wondered who might flourish in his absence. Emery once again went for experience with Ashley Young, and he did not let him down.
How did Ashley Young play vs Leicester City?
Starting his second consecutive game. there were questions over whether the 37-year-old could handle such a strain on the body given the short rest between fixtures.
Journalist Luke Miguel Echegaray even wrote on Twitter: "There’s also the case of Ashley Young, who is a warrior, but the reality is that he’s 37 and two full 90 mins in the space of 4 days is a lot to ask. I’m sure he can do it, but is it something Unai Emery specifically wants? We’ll have to wait and see."
His Spanish boss clearly sought this out and was rewarded with another fine defensive display from the man who used to terrorise full-backs himself for Manchester United.
Earning a 7.2 Sofascore rating, of which only two other starters bettered, Young was ever-present in the play despite his age. The £50k-per-week stalwart enjoyed 81 touches of the ball, which resulted in two key passes amidst a 91% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.
However, he would marry this with an impressive three clearances, two interceptions, one tackle and nine duels won, highlighting his defensive contribution too.
Although Watkins and Traore will steal the headlines, and it would be plaudits they do deserve, Young has continued to shine for a resurgent outfit in a physically demanding role, truly bullying those who come up against him.
Indeed, the former England international's performance against the Foxes marked a successive game in which he's got the best of his opposite number, having "subdued" Ben Chilwell in the win over Chelsea, as per journalist Sam Tighe.
Last night showcased how despite his seniority he could still contribute all over the pitch, influencing both their solidity and fluidity in attack.