David Moyes is reluctant to overstate expectations about West Ham. He made a joke late on Wednesday night when reminded that they are now two points off fourth-placed Liverpool.
The stance will be hard to maintain if Jesse Lingard continues to add silk to the team's steel like this.
Lingard is a classic signing for Moyes - a manager who always wants a work ethic and to know precisely what he's getting when he's spending someone else's money. But a debut like this was beyond even his expectation.
MATCH FACTS
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez 6; Cash 6, Konsa 6, Mings 7, Targett 6.