Brighton & Hove Albion�s five-game unbeaten streak in the Premier League came to a crashing halt as Aston Villa delivered a commanding 3-0 win at the Amex Stadium. The defeat leaves Fabian H�rzeler�s side licking their wounds after a spirited but ultimately fruitless effort, while Villa�s clinical finishing propelled them above Brighton in the table and within striking distance of the top four.
Hoping to recover from their recent FA Cup exit, Brighton ceded early possession to Villa, banking on their pace to exploit counter-attacks. The first half was a cagey affair with few clear chances. Marcus Rashford, on loan at Villa, squandered a golden opportunity after a sublime touch, skewing his shot wide, while Matty Cash�s driven half-volley sailed just over the bar. Brighton grew into the game late in the half, nearly taking the lead when Yasin Ayari�s free-kick was tipped onto the post by Emiliano Mart�nez�s fingertip save. A VAR review then spared Villa further blushes, ruling out a handball by Jacob Ramsey in the scramble that followed.
The deadlock broke after the interval as Villa capitalized on a swift counter. Rashford redeemed his earlier miss, racing onto Morgan Rogers� pinpoint pass to slot home his first Premier League goal since joining on loan, giving the visitors a 1-0 lead. Brighton thought they had an instant reply when Simon Adingra pounced on defensive hesitation, only for VAR to intervene again, disallowing the goal due to a Kaoru Mitoma handball in the buildup.
H�rzeler rolled the dice with four substitutions to spark a comeback, but the move backfired. On 78 minutes, Unai Emery�s tactical tweak paid dividends as substitute Marco Asensio latched onto another Rogers assist, coolly firing home from the edge of the box to double Villa�s advantage. Brighton�s resistance waned, and deep into stoppage time, Donyell Malen added gloss to the scoreline, drilling in a third to seal a resounding victory.
The result hands Aston Villa a vital three points, lifting them above Brighton in the standings and to within three points of the Champions League places. Brighton, now a point further adrift, rue their inability to convert pressure into goals as their European ambitions take a hit. For Emery�s Villa, the win underscores their growing momentum in a fiercely competitive race for the top four.
