Aston Villa boss Unai Emery said his captain John McGinn provides his side with the X-factor after their 2-0 win against Feyenoord in Rotterdam.
McGinn scored for the third game running to seal back-to-back Europa League wins for Villa, and three on the bounce in all competitions, after Emi Buendia had fired them into a second-half lead.
When asked about McGinn, Emery, a four-time Europa League winner as manager, told TNT Sports: “His challenge as captain is something more than tactically and individually.
“He is playing with a lot of emotions. He responds in a difficult moment. He is a player very important in the dressing room and he is always happy and always smiling.
“When we need more than tactical and individual performances, he is always trying to get positive energy.”
Villa had to weather a storm before the interval as Feyenoord created a string of chances, with stand-in goalkeeper Marco Bizot pulling off several outstanding saves.
Bizo was a late change before kick-off after Emi Martinez was withdrawn due to a calf injury and the summer signing from Brest produced eight saves in total.
Emery, whose side followed up last week’s win over Bologna with their first Premier League win of the season on Sunday against Fulham, added: “The goalkeeper was fantastic. He is a very good guy and goalkeeper and he is accepting his role.
“When we had six players out like we did today, the other players responded fantastically. It was fantastic how the goalkeeper replaced Martinez.”
As well as creating a string of first-half chances, Feyenoord were left furious when Slovenian referee Rade Obrenovic controversially ruled out Ayase Ueda’s 35th-minute header.
Ueda headed home from a corner, but Obrenovic blew to disallow the goal for an apparent foul on Villa’s Matty Cash, with Feyenoord head coach Robin van Persie claiming after the match the official had apologised for his decision.
Van Persie told TNT Sports: “I don’t think it was the right call. The referee was talking about a block and that someone for Villa was blocked.
“But that was not the case. It was a clear goal and that’s a really important decision.
“The referee said sorry to me. I went to see him at half-time, he thought someone was blocking, but said sorry a couple of times. It was a shame and had a big influence on the game.”
Feyenoord, currently top of the Eredivisie after winning six of their first seven league matches, had 13 shots in total and Van Persie was pleased with his side’s high-energy display.
He added: “We performed really well in terms of our high defending, we won so many balls and in possession.
“It’s a strange feeling to be standing here with a 2-0 loss because in my opinion we earned more.”
