Aston Villa smashes six past Fenerbahce
Aston Villa recorded its biggest-ever win in European competition as Nicolas Jackson and Ross Barkley scored twice in a 6-0 rout of Fenerbahce in the Champions League.
Johan Manzambi marked his Champions League debut with a goal before two goals in eight minutes from Jackson had Unai Emery's side cruising heading into the break.
Barkley followed up his 68th-minute penalty with another goal moments later, with substitute Tammy Abraham adding further gloss to the scoreline in the 90th minute.
The host side started brightly as Barkley headed over after a clever corner routine before Ibrahim Mbaye cut inside and forced Ederson into making a comfortable save.
But Villa had a goal in the 12th minute. Another short corner saw John McGinn's cross headed only as far as Manzambi, who took a touch before seeing his shot towards goal deflect off Milan Skriniar and wrong-foot Ederson.
Fenerbahce did, however, respond well to going behind, but was met with two fine stops by Zion Suzuki. Vedat Muriqi was denied in quick succession by the Villa goalkeeper, first seeing his header saved at the near post before seeing his effort on the slide repelled.
Villa doubled its advantage through Jackson, who moments after seeing his deflected shot saved by Ederson, picked out the bottom-right corner with a brilliant finish just after the half-hour mark.
Oguz Aydin then thundered against the crossbar, but Villa pulled further clear six minutes before half-time, with Jackson doubling up with an arrowed strike into the same corner.
The host side continued where it left off in the second half, with McGinn and Mbaye calling Ederson into action before Matty Cash's deflected drive rippled the side-netting.
Mbaye was denied again by Ederson, but Villa were awarded a penalty when Manzambi was chopped down inside the area by Ismail Yuksek, with Barkley stepping up and sending the Fenerbahce goalkeeper the wrong way.
It got even better for Emery's side four minutes later as Barkley swept home his second, with his shot deflecting off Bartug Elmaz and nestling into the bottom-right corner.
Suzuki preserved his clean sheet late on when he tipped over Aydin's attempt from a tight angle, with Villa scoring their sixth late on when Abraham tucked home after good work from Alysson to conclude a record-breaking encounter.
