On Tuesday, Mings – who has come a long way since playing for Yate Town and Chippenham Town in non-league football – provided a headed assist for Leon Bailey to open the scoring in the third minute.
At 1-1, Brugge skipper Vanaken produced a header which was on target and heading for the back of the net before Mings managed to get a vital touch which took it wide.
“Tyrone Mings was incredible there,” said former Scotland winger Pat Nevin, who was in the Jan Breydel Stadium for BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He stopped it diverting into the inside of the post and that surely prevented a goal.”
Mings made seven clearances – more than anyone else – as Villa notched their sixth win in nine Champions League games this season to leave their 1,500 travelling fans celebrating wildly at the end.
When asked about Mings’ performance, Emery said: “The first experience he had here was not good. But today he reacted fantastic, playing focused, serious, saving one action that was a goal.
“Of course I know the difficulties in football and how we can have experiences and how we can get better and analyse everything deeply and try and correct it – that is my only target with the players.
“We corrected something from the match we played here.”
