Victor Lindelof, the ex-Manchester United centre-back, made his first Premier League appearance of the season for Aston Villa over the weekend.
After eight years with Manchester United, the Swede was let go in June and spent some time training back home before joining Aston Villa.
Jadon Sancho arrived not long after him, signing on loan. The two had briefly played together at United, though they rarely shared the pitch.
In his time with Villa so far, Sancho has struggled to break into Unai Emery’s preferred line-up.
Lindelof also started off as a backup this season but got his first league start in Saturday’s 3-2 win over West Ham.
Unai Emery praises Victor Lindelof after solid debut for Aston Villa
Aston Villa came from behind to beat West Ham at the London Stadium, keeping hold of third place in the Premier League standings.
Lindelof was given a rare start on the left side of defence, filling in for Pau Torres. And Emery spoke highly of his performance after the match.
Speaking to reporters afterwards, Emery said: “Fantastic. Fantastic. He showed experience.
“He was comfortable and calm in build-up. It is not easy in the build-up on the left side when he is right-footed.
“He managed the passes we needed from him to the next players. He did fantastic.”
Lindelof won all three of his aerial duels, completed 90% of his passes, and recorded seven defensive actions during the match.
Victor Lindelof picks up assist in win over West Ham
In addition to his solid defensive display, Lindelof contributed to Villa’s winning goal by assisting Morgan Rogers.
The Swede spotted Rogers in space and broke the lines with a sharp pass. The England midfielder took care of the rest, finding the back of the net with a long-range strike.
Sancho stayed on the bench throughout, which means Lindelof now has more direct goal involvements than his former Manchester United teammate.
The British winger is still waiting for his first Premier League start since arriving at Villa. He has played 127 minutes in the league so far, compared to Lindelof’s 115.
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