After a disappointing start to the season that saw Roberto Di Matteo sacked after just 11 Championship games and 124 days in charge, things are finally starting to look up for Aston Villa under their new manager Steve Bruce.

The pre-season promotion favourites, who spent around £50m on bringing players to the club in the summer, have risen from 19th to 15th following a four-match unbeaten run in recent weeks.

The latest point was picked up against arch-rivals Birmingham City at St Andrew’s on Sunday, which followed successive victories against Reading and Fulham – only the club’s second and third wins in the league this term.

With 15 games played and a third of the season almost complete, we at Football FanCast thought it fitting to identity Villa’s best performing players so far this season. Here's our top three…

NATHAN BAKER

Football Soccer Britain - Sheffield Wednesday v Aston Villa - Sky Bet Championship - Hillsborough - 16/17 - 7/8/16 Aston Villa's Nathan Baker Mandatory Credit: Action Images / Lee Smith EDITORIAL USE ONLY.

Although he didn’t begin the season in the starting line-up, Baker has certainly taken advantage of Tommy Elphick’s absence through injury and looks to be a completely different player to the one that left to join Bristol City on loan last season.

The 25-year-old has the chance to flourish under former centre-back Steve Bruce, and Elphick may not regain his place straightaway if Baker maintains this level of performance.

JAMES CHESTER

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The summer signing from West Bromwich Albion has been something of a rock in Villa’s defence, helping them concede just 15 goals in their opening 15 Championship fixtures - fewer than all four of the teams currently in the play-offs - despite the fact that he has played with two different centre-half partners.

The Wales international is also currently captaining the team in the absence of Elphick, and has certainly stepped up to the lead role at the back.

JONATHAN KODJIA

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A few eyebrows were raised when Villa signed Kodjia from Bristol City for an initial fee of £11m in the summer, but the striker is starting to show that he could just be worth that fee – especially if he can provide the goals to take the club back to the Premier League.

He is their top goalscorer in the Championship with four so far, but it's his work-rate and all-round game that has particularly impressed the Villa Park faithful.