Aston Villa finally have something to build on after Tuesday night's Champions League win at Club Brugge, but one victory can't completely disguise a deeply uncomfortable opening to the season.

Unai Emery’s side began their Premier League campaign with a 4-0 collapse at Brighton before losing 1-0 at home to champions Arsenal.

The performance improved against Hull City, but yet another blank left Villa with only one point from their first three league games.

The numbers made grim reading, with Villa failing to score in all three matches and managing just one effort on target, which came from teenager George Hemmings during the goalless draw at the MKM Stadium.

That blunt start inevitably placed Villa’s rebuilt attack under the microscope as Emery tried to settle a heavily changed squad.

Tuesday’s win in Bruge therefore felt like a massive relief, with John McGinn, Emi Buendia and Nicolas Jackson all striking in the first half as Villa discovered that vital cutting edge which had been seriously missing domestically.

It was their first win of the campaign, although a nervy second half showed there is still considerable work ahead.

One of the more interesting features of Villa’s difficult start has been Emery’s faith in Hemmings, who impressed yet again in Belgium with another standout display.

French journalist Romain Molina has now drawn attention to the 19-year-old’s selection run and also made a notable claim about Alejandro Garnacho’s early work in training.

Alejandro Garnacho failing to impress in Aston Villa training

Hemmings produced Villa’s first league shot on target of the season at Hull, kept his place for the trip to Brugge and completed the full Champions League match.

He was selected in Belgium while Garnacho remained among the unused substitutes, and Molina suggested that early feedback on the Argentine’s training performances has been mixed.

The claim needs to be treated carefully, as there has been no public confirmation of a problem with Garnacho, while Emery has not accused him of lacking effort or discipline.

Nevertheless, it is an eye-catching update because of the expectations surrounding his summer arrival.

Alejandro Garnacho must seize career lifeline after early criticism

Villa signed Garnacho from Chelsea on a season-long loan with a conditional obligation to buy, reportedly worth around £40 million.

The 22-year-old was supposed to inject pace, direct running and Premier League experience into an attack changed by major departures. So far, however, he has had to settle for substitute appearances in the league and did not get onto the pitch against Brugge.

Emery demands more than occasional bursts with the ball.

His wide players must understand when to press, when to move inside and how to protect the team’s structure when possession is lost.

Interestingly, ex-Aston Villa defender Stephen Warnock also took aim at Garnacho's performance against Hull after he came off the bench, claiming the former Man United prodigy looked 'disinterested'.

Garnacho has the raw tools to become a major player at Villa Park, but reputation alone will not move him ahead of somebody carrying out those instructions every day.

Hemmings’ opportunity should offer both encouragement and a warning.

It is still extremely early and opinions formed during the opening weeks can change quickly, and Garnacho still has the chance to answer the training-ground doubts, improve his understanding of Emery’s system and turn brief appearances into starts.

Villa badly need more attacking options to click, with Hemmings making himself part of the solution, so the pressure is now on Garnacho to do the same.