Aston Villa Inches Closer to Top Four After Thrilling Victory at Brighton

Brighton’s impressive five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League (PL) came to a crashing halt as they suffered a 3-0 setback against Aston Villa at the Amex Stadium.

Desperate to recover from their FA Cup elimination, Brighton ceded early possession to their opponents, opting instead to exploit their speed on counter-attacks.

The first half unfolded with few clear opportunities, although Marcus Rashford squandered a golden chance after executing a brilliant touch to get the ball onto his right foot, only to fire his shot well off-target.

Matty Cash also went close with a powerful half-volley that sailed just over the crossbar. However, Brighton began to assert themselves towards the end of the first half and nearly broke the deadlock just before the interval.

Yasin Ayari’s free-kick appeared destined for the net until Emiliano Martínez managed to deflect it onto the post with the lightest of touches. Shortly after, a VAR check confirmed that Jacob Ramsey would avoid any penalty claims, as the ball struck his arm in the aftermath.

A complete shift in momentum occurred after the restart, with Villa launching a rapid counter-attack that resulted in the first goal. Rashford sped past defenders, maintaining his composure to slot home a pinpoint pass from Morgan Rogers, marking his inaugural Premier League goal since joining on loan.

It looked as though the lead might last only a few minutes when Simon Adingra capitalised on hesitant defending from Villa’s backline, but the visitors were let off the hook after a VAR review highlighted a handball by Kaoru Mitoma in the lead-up.

In response, Fabian Hurzeler made four substitutions in a bid to reinvigorate his side. However, they were caught off guard in the 78th minute when one of Unai Emery’s changes paid dividends, as Marco Asensio coolly finished from the edge of the area, assisted again by Rodgers.

This goal effectively sealed Villa’s victory, with Brighton failing to create any meaningful chances in the closing stages of the match. Yet, there was still time for Donyell Malen to cap off the performance with a third goal deep into injury time.

The victory allows Aston Villa to secure a vital three points, propelling them ahead of Brighton and placing them just three points shy of the top four. Meanwhile, Hurzeler’s squad remains one point further back in their pursuit of a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League.