Johan Manzambi has given Alejandro Garnacho another obstacle to overcome in the battle for Aston Villa attacking minutes.
The 20-year-old marked his first Premier League start with a goal and an assist during Saturday’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Manzambi opened the scoring in first-half stoppage time before combining with Nicolas Jackson for Villa’s second goal after the break.
It was precisely the type of performance Unai Emery needed from a player Aston Villa signed from Freiburg for a club-record fee during the summer.
For Garnacho, watching from the bench provided another reminder of how fierce the competition has become.
Emery had already admitted the Chelsea loanee currently has other players ahead of him.
Manzambi has now strengthened that competition considerably.
Johan Manzambi takes his Aston Villa opportunity
Manzambi arrived at Villa Park with significant expectations.
Sky Sports reported Villa paid a club-record package worth up to £59.5million to sign the Switzerland international from Freiburg after his impressive World Cup.
Our earlier analysis of why Aston Villa were prepared to break their transfer record for Manzambi highlighted the numbers behind his rise.
An injury delayed the start of his Villa career.
Tottenham therefore represented his first major opportunity to demonstrate why the club invested so heavily.
He took it.
Our Tottenham 2-3 Aston Villa match report detailed how Manzambi struck shortly before half-time after Spurs had controlled significant periods of the opening 45 minutes.
The youngster then helped Villa exploit Tottenham’s increasingly open defensive structure after the break.
Jackson’s second goal came after combining with Manzambi, giving the summer signing a direct involvement in two of Villa’s three goals.
Manzambi gives Emery a flexible attacking option
One of Manzambi’s biggest strengths is his versatility.
Freiburg primarily developed him as a midfielder, while Villa have already demonstrated a willingness to use him in more advanced areas.
Against Tottenham, Emery selected him on the right side of the attacking line in a flexible 4-2-3-1.
That role allowed Manzambi to move inside and combine with Jackson while still providing energy away from the ball.
It also fitted the more direct style Villa used against Tottenham.
Our analysis of Emery’s tactical shift in north London showed how Villa increasingly attacked the space behind Tottenham rather than insisting on playing through every stage of the opposition press.
Manzambi suited that approach.
He carried enough threat to punish Tottenham when Villa broke forward while retaining the work rate required to contribute without possession.
That performance has already given Emery a fresh selection problem.
We examined the immediate consequences in our Manzambi selection analysis after the Spurs victory.
Alejandro Garnacho already faces competition for minutes
Garnacho’s situation was challenging even before Manzambi’s breakthrough.
The Argentina international joined Villa on loan from Chelsea during the summer but has struggled to establish himself in Emery’s side.
He was an unused substitute against Nottingham Forest and remained on the bench despite Villa making significant changes for the Carabao Cup victory at Coventry City.
Emery subsequently acknowledged that other attackers were currently ahead of Garnacho.
As we reported in our analysis of Emery’s Garnacho selection stance, the Villa boss wants patience while the winger adapts after a disrupted pre-season.
talkSPORT also reported that Garnacho had managed only 31 competitive minutes at that stage of the campaign.
The important point is that Emery does not need to rush him.
George Hemmings, Alysson Edward and Ibrahim Mbaye had already been receiving opportunities.
Manzambi has now added a Premier League goal and assist to the competition.
Garnacho must respond rather than Manzambi make way
This does not mean Manzambi and Garnacho are fighting for one permanent position.
Their profiles are different.
Manzambi can operate centrally as well as from wider starting positions, while Garnacho is naturally most dangerous attacking from the flank.
Emery will also need rotation once Villa’s schedule becomes congested.
Both players are registered in the club’s Champions League squad, giving the manager opportunities to use different combinations across domestic and European competition.
But performances still determine the hierarchy.
Manzambi was given his opportunity against Tottenham and produced immediately.
Garnacho now needs to provide Emery with a similar reason to select him.
The three-week international break could be particularly useful if it allows the winger further time to understand Villa’s tactical demands and improve his sharpness.
Aston Villa competition becoming a major strength
Villa’s attacking depth suddenly looks very different.
Jackson scored at Tottenham after Tammy Abraham had struck twice against Coventry.
Manzambi has forced his way into the conversation.
Buendía continues to provide goals and experience, while Villa also have several young attackers competing for opportunities.
That is precisely the sort of competition Emery needs before the Premier League and Champions League schedules intensify in October.
Manzambi has not permanently secured a starting position on the strength of one match.
But he has changed the standard required to take it from him.
For Garnacho, that makes the challenge straightforward.
Emery has already told him there are players ahead.
After Manzambi’s performance at Tottenham, one of those players has just made his case considerably stronger.
