In the seconds after John McGinn gave Aston Villa the lead, the scoreboards in opposite corners malfunctioned, flickering to display a 3-0 scoreline against Bologna courtesy of a supersonic hat-trick from their captain. For a moment it was pure fantasy but Unai Emery’s team really are top of the reformed Champions League, the only side with a 100% record so far having played three matches. Nine points, three clean sheets, Real Madrid, Milan and Paris Saint-Germain are looking up the table with a touch of envy.

McGinn inadvertently scored the first directly from a free-kick before Jhon Durán, handed a rare start, added a second with his seventh goal of the season. Everybody was on cloud nine, then? Not quite. Durán’s instinctive, hooked finish to convert Morgan Rogers’s dinked cross proved his final touch and, after being replaced by Ollie Watkins, he thumped a padded seat in the home dugout and then booted the back of another chair.

Amadou Onana, who was withdrawn at half-time, attempted to soothe Durán’s anger. A few minutes later the striker headed down the tunnel but at the final whistle he was all smiles as he collected another award for player of the match. Was Emery bothered by Durán’s reaction? “No, no,” he said. “I am managing everything. Sometimes players react a bit but it is under my control.”

It was the only obvious sour note for Villa on a night when Boubacar Kamara returned to action for the first time since sustaining a serious knee injury in February. Sam Beukema rattled the woodwork late on for Bologna but Villa’s victory was never in doubt after McGinn opened the scoring.

According to Opta’s supercomputer, Villa may only require another six points from their five remaining matches to finish in the top eight and qualify automatically for the ­knockout round. “I am delighted with how we are taking on this competition,” the Villa manager said. “Of course, we have had a brilliant start. We are being consistent, getting points and feeling comfortable.”

Topping a historic victory against Bayern Munich was always going to be an impossible task but nevertheless the pre-match bells and whistles spoke to this being another special occasion. There was a round of fizzing pyrotechnics, fireworks and a giant tifo banner featuring three roaring lions.

As Durán lined up, eyes closed with the Champions League anthem emanating from the speakers, ­presumably his mind went to the time he, as a 16-year-old in Medellín, walked out on to a street for a kickabout with his friends to the same theme tune. For Durán, this moment had been a long time coming, this only his second start of the season after five goals as a substitute, including a superb off‑the-cuff winner against Bayern which will live long in the memory of Villa supporters. Durán’s other start this campaign came against Wycombe, in which he also scored, from the penalty spot.

If it was a big night for Durán then the same went for Tyrone Mings, the former Villa captain who was back in a match-day squad for the first time since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury at St James’ Park on the opening day of last season. Lucas Digne, one of four Villa players to drop out of the starting lineup from the team that won at Fulham at the weekend, joined in the communal applause as Mings warmed up in front of the North Stand.

Samuel Iling-Junior, on loan at Bologna from Villa, entered late on to cheers from all corners of the ground on his first appearance at Villa Park. Back on the biggest stage, how Villa are enjoying themselves.

View image in fullscreen

For Villa, the best of the first-half action came during two minutes of stoppage time, Rogers sending a low drive wide. Durán was desperate to add to his tally, an early speculative effort was blocked, then he tested the Bologna goalkeeper Lukasz ­Skorupski at a corner. At the other end Emiliano Martínez saved an effort from Thijs Dallinga, prompting the Villa goalkeeper to ask questions of his defence and later Giovanni Fabbian scuffed his shot after being played onside by Ian Maatsen, Villa’s high line not quite high enough.

Both teams had chances after the restart, Leon Bailey and Stefan Posch striking wide. Villa, however, were able to relax when McGinn’s 55th‑minute free-kick, awarded after Remo Freuler fouled the fit-again Ezri Konsa, eluded everybody, including Skorupski, and dropped inside the far post.

Nine minutes later this contest was over when Durán added a second. He was too strong for Jhon Lucumí at the front post and hoicked ­Rogers’s clever cross into the far corner. Emery applauded overhead but ordered a triple substitution. “Maybe he was watching the change so he ­accelerated to score a goal,” Emery said with a smile. “For us and for him, it was fantastic.”

• Champions League
• Aston Villa
• Bologna
• European club football
• match reports