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Aston Villa had toiled a little in their Europa Conference League Group E game against whipping boys, Zrinjski, on Thursday night, before Nicolo Zaniolo’s first goal for the club settled a few nerves.

A win on the night would mean that Villa finish top of the group and arguably get a more favourable draw as a result.

The goal when it came on 61 minutes owed much to the tenacity from John McGinn, the Villa captain digging out a cross that Zaniolo just needed to poke home to put Unai Emery’s side in pole position.

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