Unai Emery’s Aston Villa ran out as 3-0 winners against Brighton on the south coast on Wednesday night, with a clinical second-half display seeing theVillans take a huge three points in their quest of UEFA Champions League football next season.
Marcus Rashford, Marcos Asensio and Donyell Malen all found the back of the next on a hit-and-run performance at the Amex, which saw Villa leapfrog their opponents into seventh place in the league table.
Despite the scoreline, Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton were the side in control for a majority of the game but lacked any cutting edge. The Seagulls were unfortunate to see Simon Adringa’s equaliser disallowed for a handball raised against Kaoru Mitoma, which required a lengthy monitor check from referee Stuart Atwell.
As it happened
Villa began the brightest at the Amex Stadium as Lucas Digne whipped the ball into the area looking for Ezri Konsa, who planted his header straight at Bart Verbruggen. However, the Dutchman made a hash of claiming the ball as it squirmed – nearly – to Rashford who was in close proximity.
More Villa chances came in the opening quarter of an hour as a sweeping counter attack from the once more saw Digne delivering into the area – this time from the left – as John McGinn headed wide. A mistake from the visitors didn’t prove costly, as they turned defence to attack in an instant as a long ball found Rashford. The Manchester United loanee beautifully brought the ball out of the sky before shifting onto his favoured right foot and driving an effort wide.
Brighton started to get a foothold in the game as Diego Gómez delicately flicked out wide to Mitoma who was able to salem forward and get a shot off straight at Emi Martínez.
The Seagulls played some intricate football as they played around Villa down their left flank with Mitoma starting the move before breaking behind and finding Adringa just outside the area. The Ivorian struck just wide of Martínez’s right-hand post. Then came some controversy.
Villa were left furious as they believed they should have been awarded a penalty as Jack Hinshelwood appeared to bring down Jacob Ramsey inside the area after the Villa forward nutmegged his opponent before contact was made. The on-field decision was no penalty from Atwell and VAR concurred after a review.
Before the half-time whistle, Brighton came inches to taking the lead as Yasin Ayari bent a free-kick around the wall with Martínez beaten, however the post came to the Villans’ rescue as both sides went into the break deadlocked.
Clear-cut chances came at a premium after the break, however the deadlock was broken early on.
From a Brighton corner in the 51st minute, Martínez found Rogers who saw the run of Rashford from within his own half and the newly capped England international pinged an exceptional long ball through for Rashford to be one-on-one with Verbruggen. The finish was scrappy; nonetheless the ball ended in the back of the net and Villa led on the south coast.
Embed from Getty ImagesIt took Brighton only four minutes to – seemingly – equalise as Ayari found Mitoma inside the area before he knocked the ball across goal which caused havoc for Martínez as the ball ricocheted to Adringa who blasted the ball home. Upon review, VAR advised Atwell to look at the monitor and Mitoma was subsequently penalised for handball as the goal was disallowed.
The game was put to bed in the 78th minute when Rogers, who had nipped ahead of his marker to find time – and plenty of space – to race towards goal, spotted substitute Marcos Asensio who applied the finish past Verbruggen.
It just was not to be Brighton’s day as Pervis Estupiñán hit a cross-come-shot from right on the touchline which nearly caught Martínez cold, as the Argentine clawed the ball away from drifting over him and making a nervy end to the tie. That would not be the end of the action on the south coast, however, as Villa went on to add a third.
Another Villa substitute made an impact from the bench as Donyell Malen broke his duck since his January move from Borussia Dortmund in the 100th minute. The Dutchman found himself on the right-hand side of the area before providing a clinical driving finish across his countryman into the bottom corner.
For only the second time this season, Emery’s side had won back-to-back away league games and rose above the Seagulls into seventh on 48 points while Brighton drop a position down to eighth and remain on 47 points. Up next for Brighton is a trip to Selhurst Park while Villa host high-flying Nottingham Forest.
The lineups
BHA: Verbruggen; Hinshelwood, Van Hecke, Dunk, Estupiñán; Gómez, Ayari; Adingra, Gruda, Mitoma; Pedro
AVL: Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; McGinn; Ramsey, Rogers; Rashford