Brighton 0 Aston Villa 3: Counter attack masterclass as Villa climb Premier League table
Unai Emery and his players have always believed they could secure a return to the Champions League through the Premier League.
After this, their sixth win in a row in all competitions, they might not be the only ones.
A 3-0 victory at fellow challengers Brighton, secured thanks to a goal each from January signings Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen, saw Villa leapfrog the hosts in the table and move to within two points of the fifth place finish which will almost certainly be enough for a spot in Europe’s elite club competition.
More importantly, it added weight to the theory that, after a season where they have struggled with injuries and the demands of Europe, Emery’s team are peaking at the perfect moment.
The additions of loan stars Rashford and Asensio, so questioned at the time, have given Villa new verve.
Rashford, again given the nod ahead of Ollie Watkins up front, netted for the third time in two matches to put Villa ahead with their first shot on target six minutes into the second half.
Asensio then came off the bench to seal the points with his eighth goal in 10 appearances, before a superb night was then capped by Malen drilling home his first goal for the club with the last kick.
Around those moments, Villa had cause to thank the brilliance of Emi Martinez, who got fingertips to Yasin Ayari’s first half free-kick to tip it onto the post.
They also enjoyed just about the better of numerous, lengthy VAR checks, most notably when Brighton had Simon Adingra’s equaliser ruled out for handball in the build-up.
But Villa also saw strong claims for a penalty denied when Jacob Ramsey was brought down in the box and after Rashford had opened the scoring, there only looked one winner. Adingra's disallowed effort aside, Brighton struggled to create chances against a Villa team whose winning run has included five clean sheets.
This was also a meeting between two teams who had experienced differing fortunes in last weekend’s FA Cup quarter-finals.
Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, whose Brighton team lost on penalties to Nottingham Forest, made five changes to his side.
Emery made just two, though Torres’ return in place of Tyrone Mings in defence was notable. It was the Spain international's first start since suffering a broken foot in December's 2-2 draw against Brighton at Villa Park.
Torres made an important early intervention when he cut out Brajan Gruda’s pass intended for Joao Pedro after the latter had got the run on Ezri Konsa.
By then John McGinn had already headed a good chance wide, with Rashford also firing off target.
Those misses set the tone for Villa in terms of accuracy, with Matty Cash also fizzing a half volley just over the bar with home keeper Bart Verbruggen again untroubled
Martinez was much busier and did well to hold two curling efforts from Kaoru Mitoma, while he was relieved to see a rising effort fly just wide of the post.
The hosts carried more threat, yet it was Villa who should have had a penalty when Ramsey pushed the ball past Jack Hinshelwood and then appeared to be brought down. Referee Stuart Attwell waved away the appeals but there was surprise when VAR Michael Donohue stayed with the original decision, not even recommending a review, after a lengthy check.
Ayari would then have rubbed salt in the wound were it not for the brilliance of Martinez. At full stretch, the keeper tipped the midfielder’s free-kick onto the post, the ball rebounding into Ramsey before being cleared to safety.
Brighton looked brighter at the start of the second half but suddenly they were behind as Villa went from back to front in a flash.
Martinez caught a Van Hecke header and rolled the ball out to Morgan Rogers, who 25 yards from his own goal pumped the ball into the opposition half for Rashford to chase. With Verbruggen caught in two minds, the striker held his nerve to lift his finish over the keeper.
The hosts then thought they had a swift response when Martinez spilled Mitoma’s cross and Adingra fired home. But replays showed the former had controlled the ball with his arm and a lengthy VAR check, which strangely saw Attwell sent to the monitor, the goal was ruled out.
With 12 minutes to go Asensio gave Villa breathing room. The Spain international had already tested Verbruggen with a low drive, before slotting neatly into the bottom corner from Rogers’ cross after the latter had latched on to Cash’s through ball.
Once again there was a VAR check, with Brighton adamant Watkins had fouled Mats Wieffer in the build-up. But the goal stood.
It was Villa’s night and capped by a first goal for Malen in the 10th minute of stoppage time.
Brighton (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen, Hinshelwood (Wieffer 72), Dunk (Cashin 72), Van Hecke, Estupinan, Gruda (O’Riley 84), Ayari, Gomez (Baleba 72), Mitoma, Adingra, Pedro (Welbeck 72) Subs not used: March, Minteh, Tasker, Rushworth (gk).
Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez, Cash (Disasi 81), Konsa, Torres, Digne, Kamara, Tielemans (Onana 65), McGinn, Rogers (Malen 88), Ramsey (Asensio 65), Rashford (Watkins 65) Subs not used: Mings, Maatsen, Garcia, Olsen (gk).
