Unai Emery says Aston Villa are making progress in both of the club's aims for the season, after Wednesday's 3-1 Carabao Cup win over Coventry City set up a fourth-round trip to AFC Bournemouth.
Tammy Abraham's brace either side of a Ross Barkley header saw off the Sky Blues at the Coventry Building Society Arena, with Victor Torp's free-kick the only response Coventry could muster.
Villa's reward is a Last 16 tie away at Bournemouth, before Emery turns his attention back to the Premier League this weekend, with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday's lunchtime kick-off the last fixture before the international break.
Speaking to VillaTV afterwards, Emery said the performance underlined progress on two fronts: building squad depth and competing for silverware.
"We are now competing, trying to get into the direction our objectives," he said. "One of those objectives is to try to build a team, try to get comfortable and get confidence with the players joining us.
"And today, I think it's very important, Taylor's match, Mbaye's match and, of course, two goals for Tammy is giving us confidence. So, this objective today, we did one step forward trying to achieve it."
New signings Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Ibrahim Mbaye both featured, with Emery pointing to the pair as evidence his squad is settling in ahead of a season that will also include Champions League football.
"Of course, we'll need time with the other players as well being injured or someone, we will need them progressively getting better," Emery added, before turning to Villa's second target for the campaign.
"Secondly, to try to compete for a trophy. This is a way for a trophy; this is as well for Europe. So, winning this match, we are feeling confident and we're going to compete in the next match in the next round against Bournemouth away."
Emery also praised the individual contributions across his side, from January signing Ibrahim Mbaye's pace to Aaron Wan-Bissaka's return to action.
"We are motivated to try to get those two objectives in our way and today we made progress forward, adding some things tactically, individually as well, individual skills like Mbaye, his speed, Tammy, midfielders, Aaron playing again one match and understanding everything better," he said.
"Taylor in his match was fantastic. And the experienced players like John McGinn and Tyrone Mings, they responded fantastic, Ruggeri as well. I think it's good news after the result and, of course, keep going forward."
Villa's win means Everton, Manchester United and Brighton are among the other Premier League and Championship clubs who discovered their own fourth-round fate on Wednesday, with the last-16 ties set to be played in the week commencing 26 October.