Aston Villa Fight Back to Edge Brighton in Seven-Goal Thriller

Ollie Watkins ended an 11-match goal drought with a first-half brace as high-flying Aston Villa overturned a two-goal deficit to defeat Brighton 4–3 in a dramatic encounter at the Amex Stadium.

Jan Paul van Hecke’s close-range finish and a Pau Torres own goal had put the Seagulls on course to leapfrog Villa in the Premier League standings.

But England international Watkins, who had scored just once in his previous 19 appearances this season, levelled the match with his ninth and tenth career goals against Brighton, before Amadou Onana and substitute Donyell Malen completed a remarkable turnaround.

Brighton centre-back Van Hecke set up a tense finale by grabbing his second of the evening seven minutes from time. However, Unai Emery’s in-form Villa side held firm to secure an eighth win in nine league outings and hand Brighton their first home defeat of the campaign.

Marco Bizot started in goal for Villa as one of five changes after Emiliano Martínez withdrew during the warm-up, while Lewis Dunk marked his 500th appearance for Brighton in a side showing three alterations.

Bizot was culpable as Fabian Hürzeler’s men took a ninth-minute lead in controversial circumstances. Brighton were incorrectly awarded a corner after the ball went behind off the head of Maxim De Cuyper, and Bizot failed to gather Ferdi Kadioglu’s inswinging delivery, allowing Van Hecke to stab home at the far post.

Watkins squandered a fine opportunity to equalise in the 28th minute before Brighton doubled their lead moments later. Substitute Jack Hinshelwood, on early for the injured Stefanos Tzimas, surged down the left following a neat one-two with Brajan Gruda, and his low cross was diverted into the net off the legs of the unfortunate Torres.

Brighton, unbeaten in 10 home matches since losing 3–0 to Villa in April, saw their advantage halved in the 37th minute. Ian Maatsen, who moments earlier had seen a penalty appeal waved away following a challenge from Carlos Baleba, escaped Mats Wieffer down the left and delivered a low cross which Watkins slid in to convert.

Villa were level seven minutes into added time at the end of a chaotic first half. The visitors had appealed for a penalty after Ezri Konsa’s header from a Matty Cash corner struck the post and appeared to hit the arm of Hinshelwood.

Gruda then wasted a chance at the other end before Villa struck on the counter, with Watkins racing onto Morgan Rogers’ long pass and rifling past Bart Verbruggen.

The comeback was complete on the hour mark when Cash swung in another dangerous corner from the left and Onana climbed above De Cuyper to head home in front of the travelling supporters.

Verbruggen produced an excellent save to prevent Dunk marking his milestone with an own goal, but Villa extended their lead 12 minutes from time when substitute Malen reacted quickest to finish on the rebound after Verbruggen had saved Evann Guessand’s header.

Van Hecke swept in from the edge of the box to set up a nervy finale, but Villa stood firm to claim a sixth straight win in all competitions — with Bizot producing a superb stoppage-time save to deny Danny Welbeck’s header.