Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Sanson is much 'happier' and could now 'kick on' at the club, according to a claim from reliable journalist Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Sanson makes first appearance of season

Unai Emery made a dream start to life as Villa's new manager on Sunday as his side won 3-1 at home to Manchester United in the Premier League.

It was a pleasing afternoon for Sanson, who was introduced in the closing minutes to make his first appearance of the season in all competitions.

The Frenchman found himself largely frozen out under Steven Gerrard but this could now be a wonderful opportunity for him to find a new lease of life at Villa Park.

The Latest: Preece hopeful of better spell for Sanson

Writing in a Q&A for Birmingham Mail on Monday, Preece claimed that happier times now lie ahead for Sanson when asked about his future.

The journalist stated:

"That's the word on the street/at Bodymoor Heath, pal. Looks much more happier, doesn't he, smiling from ear to ear when pal Digne scored yesterday and was blown away by the fans' backing when he came on late on. "You do wonder what happened previously under Gerrard... Fair play to him, hope he can kick on now under Unai."

The Verdict: Massive opportunity

Whenever a new manager comes in, it always represents a great chance for players on the periphery to prove their worth, and that is no different with Sanson.

Quite what (if anything) went wrong between him and Gerrard may be unclear, but he is a footballer with an impressive background and it is easy to forget that he cost Villa £14m in January 2021.

Sanson's performances will need to justify earning regular minutes under Emery, with plenty of competition in midfield, but he could almost feel like a new signing for Villa if he suddenly goes to another level following the recent change in the dugout.