Football Dec 07, 2025

Brighton 3-4 Aston Villa: Visitors come from two goals down to win seven-goal thriller to move third in Premier League

👤
By Admin
Sports Journalist
Brighton 3-4 Aston Villa: Visitors come from two goals down to win seven-goal thriller to move third in Premier League

Aston Villa came from two goals down to edge a chaotic seven-goal thriller at Brighton, with their 4-3 win sending them third in the Premier League.

Villa suffered a nightmare start on the south coast as an error from goalkeeper Marco Bizot - a late replacement for Emiliano Martinez - and Pau Torres' own goal saw Brighton go 2-0 up after 29 minutes.

But Ollie Watkins' double, which ended his 11-game goal drought, sensationally brought Villa level before half-time.

Villa completed the comeback through Amadou Onana's 60th-minute header before substitute Donyell Malen scored with his first touch to give Villa a two-goal lead in the 78th minute.

But Brighton threatened a comeback of their own as Jan Paul van Hecke scored his second of the game just five minutes later.

Bizot then atoned for his mistake for Van Hecke's opener with a fine stoppage-time save to deny Brighton substitute Danny Welbeck and ensure Villa held on for a sixth straight win in all competitions.

The dramatic victory moves Unai Emery's side six points off leaders Arsenal, whom they face on Saturday at Villa Park.

Brighton, who suffered a first home defeat this season, drop to seventh but will have the chance to bounce back on Sunday as they host West Ham, live on SportNews.

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins speaking to SportNews:

"I think since the managers come in, I've scored a lot of goals, and got assists. Always find myself playing regularly in the team.

"So to go a prolonged period without scoring and doing that, it does affect you. It has been hard, but you have to just keep picking yourself up, turning up every day, and working hard.

"You get your rewards in the end and and now I can put that behind me and keep looking forward.

"We're in an amazing place. Even though I wasn't scoring, I looked at the bigger picture where we're further in the league.

"Winning every week, what isn't there to love, really? So if I can add goals, it gets even better."

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery speaking to SportNews:

"The players are getting the challenge to be consistent. Marco Bizot was fantastic after Emi Martinez was injured. Marco is a really fantastic guy, fantastic professional. His role is clear and he accepted it. When he is playing like how he did today, we are so, so proud of him.

"Today, as well, Watkins scored goals. Amadou [Onana] scores a set-piece goal. Its something we are working and have been missing. Today we achieved it.

"We've needed other players scoring goals like they did today. I'm proud of how the players are responding. This is the way we want to build, to create here in our structure.

On Watkins: "When Watkins is doing his task, he's playing fantastic. Sometimes scoring, sometimes not. He was a long time without scoring, today he scored and he got that balance. He needs to keep calm and keep going."

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler speaking to SportNews:

"There are small margins that made the difference. it's about how you react and two set-pieces made the difference. These are the small margins. Overall, we saw a team that never gave up and had the belief to win this game.

"Overall, we defended it quite well in the season so far. It's not easy to defend set-pieces. The blocking of the goalkeeper, we still don't have a clear rule for that.

"It's not easy to concede goals and we want to react. We have to challenge adversity we face in the game, and we have to be better.

"It was a matter of small margins. They scored in the second half after two set pieces and that's the difference. We have to do better and keep improving."

Tags:

football report id:531261

Share this article

Related Posts

Livingston 2-2 Aberdeen: Robbie Muirhead equaliser earns a point for the Scottish Premiership's bottom side

Livingston 2-2 Aberdeen: Robbie Muirhead equaliser earns a point for the Scottish Premiership's bottom side

Robbie Muirhead's spectacular equaliser left Livingston clinging on to their William Hill Premiership status and Aberdeen still waiting to secure safe...

Millwall 2-0 Oxford United: Lions must settle for play-offs despite victory

Millwall 2-0 Oxford United: Lions must settle for play-offs despite victory

Millwall had to settle for a place in the Sky Bet Championship play-offs despite finishing the regular season with a comfortable 2-0 victory over rele...

Hibs 1-2 Celtic: Martin O'Neill waiting on Daizen Maeda's fitness as trouble in front of goal persists despite victory

Hibs 1-2 Celtic: Martin O'Neill waiting on Daizen Maeda's fitness as trouble in front of goal persists despite victory

Celtic's attacking concerns have increased ahead of next weekend's Old Firm showdown after Daizen Maeda limped off during the 2-1 win over 10-man Hibs...

Sir Alex Ferguson: Man Utd legend taken to hospital after feeling unwell ahead of his former side's Premier League game with Liverpool

Sir Alex Ferguson: Man Utd legend taken to hospital after feeling unwell ahead of his former side's Premier League game with Liverpool

Sir Alex Ferguson was taken to hospital after feeling unwell ahead of Manchester United vs Liverpool on Sunday. The 84-year-old legendary United boss,...

Casemiro: Inter Miami and LA Galaxy leading race to sign Man Utd midfielder - Paper Talk

Casemiro: Inter Miami and LA Galaxy leading race to sign Man Utd midfielder - Paper Talk

The top stories and transfer rumours from Monday's newspapers...Inter Miami and LA Galaxy are the two leading contenders to sign Casemiro - TalksportB...

Man City 1-0 Liverpool: Rebecca Knaak's late goal puts hosts on verge of WSL title

Man City 1-0 Liverpool: Rebecca Knaak's late goal puts hosts on verge of WSL title

Rebecca Knaak's late strike saw Manchester City beat Liverpool 1-0 and take a step closer to the WSL title.Andree Jeglertz's side needed to bounce bac...