ASTON VILLA 6 BRIGHTON1
The worst ever top flight defeat
30 SEPTEMBER 2023
ASTON VILLA 6 ( Ollie Watkins 3 Pervis Estupinan 1, own goal - Jacob Ramsey 1 Douglas Luiz 1 -
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1 - Ansu Fati 1
PREMIER LEAGUE - at VILLA PARK. ASTON, Birmingham
The Seagulls were on their travels again, this time to the Midlands to take
on Aston Villa in the Premier at Villa Park, "live" in front of the TNT Sports
cameras and broadcast over the airwaves on Talksport and BBC Radio
Sussex Sport.
Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi made nine changes to his starting line-up
from the team which had lost 0-1 at Chelsea in the Third Round of the
Carabao Cup on the 27 September, with Jason Steele, Joel Veltman, Adam
Webster, Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood, Billy Gilmour, Solly March, Danny
Welbeck and Evan Ferguson coming in for Bart Verbruggen, Tariq Lamptey.
Jan Paul Van Hecke, Igor Julio, Mahmoud Dahoud, Carlos Baleba, Facundo
Buonanotte, Ansu Fati and Joao Pedro. Hinshelwood (18) was making his
first Premier League start for the Albion.
Last time out Aston Villa had lost 1-2 at home to Everton in the Third Round
of the Carabao Cup on the 27 September and for Albion's visit Head Coach
Unai Emery made five changes to his starting line-up from that game, with
Emiliano Martinez, Lucas Digne, Boubacar Kamara, Nicola Zaniolo and
Ollie Watkins replacing Robin Olsen, Leander Dendoncker, Leon Bailey,
Youri Tielemans and Jhon Duran.
Last season Villa did the double over the Seagulls, winning 2-1 at the Amex
on the 13 November 2022, with both their goals coming from Danny Ings
(20m, penalty & 54m) whilst Albion's goal was scored by Alexis Mac Allister
(1m). In the return game at Villa Park on the 28 May 2023 the Villa won 2-1
with their goals being scored by Douglas Luiz (8m) and Ollie Watkins (26m),
with Deniz Undav (38m) replying for the Seagulls.
Villa made the ideal start on 14 minutes when John McGinn's pass found
Matty Cash in acres of space on the right and the full-back's inch-perfect
cross found the lurking Ollie Watkins, who calmly slotted the ball home from
close-in. 0-1. Seven minutes later Watkins netted a second after Joel
Veltman gave the ball away in the middle of the park to Moussa Diaby and
the midfielder's slide-rule pass found Watkins on the left from where the
striker cut-in before smashing a fierce right-foot shot past exposed Albion
keeper Jason Steele. 0-2. All at sea Seagulls found themselves three
down on 26 minutes after Steele had parried Diaby's initial shot and from
the follow-up the ball ended up in the Albion net courtesy of a Pervis
Estupinan own goal. Villa had scored three goals in the space of 12
minutes, the Albion were shell-shocked and the game was virtually over.
0-3. Prior to the break the unmarked Solly March sent a header over the
Villa bar when he should have scored and keeper Steele made a fine save
to deny Diaby. A half the Albion will want to forget.
Half-time 0-3.
Albion made a triple change at the start of the second-half, with Tariq
Lamptey on for Estupinan, Joao Pedro on for Danny Welbeck and Ansu
Fati on for Evan Ferguson. The substitutions seemed to have worked
as on 50 minutes the Seagulls pulled a goal back after Pedro got free on
the left to cross to fellow substitute Fati, who scored from close-in for his
first Albion goal. 1-3. Fati then had a chance to score a second but his
goal-bound shot was blocked. Albion's new-found momentum was
halted when Villa scored a fourth on 65 minutes as McGinn's pass set
Watkins free on the left and the striker fired home, with the ball deflecting
off Adam Webster past the helpless Steele. A hat-trick for Watkins and it
was game over for the Seagulls. 1-4. Substitute Simon Adringa saw his
long-range effort deflected over the bar by Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez
before substitute Jacob Ramsey's curled shot eluded Steele for Villa's
fifth. 1-5. Deep into time added on Douglas Luiz fired in a sixth for Villa
to compound Albion's misery. 1-6. This was Albion's biggest ever defeat
in a top-flight game.
Final-score 1-6.
Match stats:
Albion had 11 attempts at goal, with 3 on target and won 3 corners,
free-kicks conceded - 21.
Aston Villa had 19 attempts at goal, with 9 on target and won 1 corner,
free-kicks conceded - 19.
VERDICT - This was a horror-show by the Albion, their worst display
for a long-time and their biggest-ever defeat in a top-flight game. Not
one player enhanced their reputation and afterwards Coach De Zerbi
said he took responsibility for the result.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Jason Steele; Joel Veltman, Adam Webster, Lewis Dunk (Capt),
Pervis Estupinan (Tariq Lamptey 46); Jack Hinshelwood (Carlos Baleba 86), Billy Gilmour; Solly March (Simon Adringa 62), Danny Welbeck (Joao Pedro 46), Kaoru Mitoma; Evan Ferguson (Ansu Fati 46).
Subs not used: Bart Verbruggen (G/K), Igor Julio, Mahmoud Dahoud, Jan Paul Van Hecke.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1):- Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne; Boubacar Kamara (Youri Tielemans 90), Douglas Luiz; John McGinn (Capt), Moussa Diaby (Jhon Duran 79),
Nicola Zaniolo (Jacob Ramsey 57); Ollie Watkins.
Subs not used: Robin Olsen (G/K), Diego Carlos, Bertrand Troare, Calum Chambers, Clement Lenglet, Leander Dendoncker.
Referee: Andy Madley (West Yorkshire). Assistant Referees: Ian Hussin, Nick Hopton. Fourth Official: Tim Robinson. VAR Official:
Stuart Attwell. Assistant VAR Official: Derek Eaton.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 4 - Lewis Dunk, Danny Welbeck, Kaoru Mitoma, Ansu Fati.
Aston Villa: 4 - Ezri Konsa, Lucas Digne, Douglas Luiz, Jhon Duran.
Possession: Albion - 62%. Aston Villa - 38%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
Attendance: 40636 (including 2981 Albion fans).
FORTHCOMING FIXTURES:
21 OCTOBER 2023 - MANCHESTER CITY - away - Premier League - kick-off 15.00.
26 OCTOBER 2023 - AJAX - home - Europa League - kick-off 20.00. "Live" on TNT Sports.
29 OCTOBER 2023 - FULHAM - home - Premier League - kick-off - 14.00.
Jack Kaye.