Former Aston Villa striker Garry Thompson believes manager Unai Emery will be disappointed after last night's Europa Conference League win at AZ Alkmaar.

Villa won 4-1 on Thursday night.

Thompson told BBC Sport: "I think Unai Emery will be disappointed because they gave away a goal, even though it was a good finish, but goal-difference could make an awful lot of difference as well.

"The group is very very tight, but if Aston Villa in the return leg play anywhere near like they did tonight then the manager should have no problem at all. They've done a professional job tonight and they must be delighted because they have grabbed hold of the group.

"If you're going to have a shock you might as well have it at the start of the competition just as everyone's thinking that Villa will do alright, they'll play their way through the group, they'll win the games, then Villa had the shock and they had to start getting the results. Tonight they've taken the group by the scruff of the neck.

"All of a sudden they've got something to look forward to at the weekend now, they're on their way up, they've got their European adventure in some kind of shape and now they're off."