After Wednesday's win over Viking my BBC Radio WM colleague and Phone-In host Daz Hale offered Villa fans a theoretical deal.

Appropriately enough, it may sound like the script for a 1980s washing powder commercial. Would you like to go back to your reliable old formula – bring back Ollie Watkins, Morgan Rogers, Emi Martinez, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans – or stick with the new?

Daz had no takers. The refreshed squad, Unai Villa 2.0, is winning hearts and minds.

There is trust in the brand that any business in the land would envy. Just a few weeks ago, the odd one or two callers to the programme – and in the opinion of those who responded angrily to them afterwards, it was a very odd one or two – dared to utter the phrase that has damned a thousand football managers, that Unai Emery had "taken us as far as he can". But the overwhelming majority made it clear that they had faith and were prepared to wait for things to happen. Villa have now scored 18 goals in six games. It's happening.

Granted, it has not been the strongest set of six opponents. Brentford, the only side not beaten in that run, were by far the best of that group. Weirdly, Villa have more points in this season's Champions League than in the Premier League, beating only a flailing Tottenham and ailing Newcastle in the priority competition. The next few weeks look appreciably harder. Noble opponents though Viking were, Villa might expect more threat from one Norwegian this weekend than materialised from a whole team of them last night. Lamine Yamal's goal this week might give sleepless nights to whoever ends up facing him when Villa, rather short of fit left-backs lately, go to Barcelona the week after next.

However, there is more to Villa's recent revival than just counting points, or even counting goals. Johan Manzambi is striding around midfield like the new town sheriff. Nicolas Jackson is despatching chances more often with more style. Last night was Alysson's breakthrough moment, running Viking ragged and causing gasps on the Holte. And John McGinn is, by common consent, still Super.

Customer reviews of new-formula Villa are now rolling in: still steely when necessary, but with more pace, more verve, more thrills. Faster, brighter, washes whiter. Given how Villa have railed against having to squirm to stay within financial restrictions in recent years, the arrival on Saturday of a club judged to have taken a rather less rigorous approach to them should fire the fans up. Manchester City are of course in the process of appeal.

Regardless, like their fans, we can now see Villa will be ready too.