13th November 2022 – Brighton and Hove Albion v Aston Villa in the Premier League
13 NOVEMBER 2022 –
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1 ( Alexis MacAllister 1 – 1 minute )
ASTON VILLA 2 ( Danny Ings 2 – 20 minutes, penalty, 54 minutes ) –
PREMIER LEAGUE – at the AMERICAN EXPRESS COMMUNITY STADIUM, FALMER.
After three excellent wins, the Albion were back at the Amex for a Premier League encounter with Aston Villa, “live” in front of the Sky Sports cameras and broadcast over the airwaves on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Before the game the Albion occupied seventh position in the Premier, with 21 points from 13 games whilst Aston Villa were in sixteenth spot, with 15 points from 14 games.
Albion Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi had to make two enforced changes to his starting line-up from the team which won 3-2 at Wolves in the Premier on the 5 November, with Levi Colwill and Danny Welbeck coming in for the unwell duo Adam Webster and Kaoru Mitoma. Chelsea loanee Colwill was making his first Premier League start for the Seagulls.
Aston Villa had sacked Manager Steven Gerrard three weeks ago and on the 1st November had appointed former Arsenal and Villarreal Head Coach Unai Emery in Gerrard’s place. In his first game in charge of Villa in the Premier on the 6th November, Emery had enjoyed a 3-1 win over Manchester United at Villa Park and the visit to the Amex was his second Premier League game in charge.
Emery made three changes to his starting line-up from the team which beat United on the 6 November, with John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara and Danny Ings replacing Leander Dendoncker, Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins.
In the previous midweek, in the Carabao Cup, the Albion had enjoyed a 3-1 win at Arsenal on the 9 November whilst Villa had lost 2-4 at Manchester United,
Emery’s second game in charge, on the 10 November.
Last season, Aston Villa did the double over the Albion, winning 2-0 at Villa Park (Sreven Gerrard’s first game in charge) on the 20 November 2021, with their goals coming from Ollie Watkins (84m) and Tyrone Mings (89m). In the reverse fixture at the Amex on the 26 February 2022, Villa again ran out 2-0 winners, with their goals being scored by Matty Cash (17m) and Ollie Watkins (68m).
The Albion couldnt have made a better start as they took the lead in the very first minute, as Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez elected to pass the ball out to midfielder Douglas Luiz. Alexis Mac Allister had other ideas as he stole the
ball off Luiz and promptly slammed the ball into the Villa net. A great start by the Seagulls. 1-0. I
It was now very much end-to-end play and on 20 minutes a superb pass by Villa’s Emiliano Buendia found Danny Ings in the box but Lewis Dunk’s mistimed tackle brought down Ings, whereupon Referee Chris Kavanagh immediately pointed to the spot. VAR supported the Referee’s decision and Ings coolly converted the resultant penalty-kick. 1-1. Villa keeper Martinez made a smart save from a Solly March in-swinging corner, whilst subsequently at the other end, Dunk made a fine intervention to deflect a Jacob Ramsey shot over his own crossbar.
Half-time 1-1.
The first real action of the second-half saw Villa take the lead on 54 minutes when Buendia’s header struck the post and bounced back into play, the ball fell to Mac Allister, who in turn lost possession to Luiz who fed the alert Ings whose shot on goal deflected off Levi Colwill into the Albion net. 1-2. Albion made a double substitution on the hour, with Joel Veltman replacing Julio Enciso, who had previously replaced the injured Adam Lallana on 5 minutes and Deniz Undav replacing Danny Welbeck.
The Seagulls had an appeal for a penalty rejected when Villa’s Lucas Digne appeared to clatter March with a follow-through clearance in the penalty area and a VAR check didnt support Albion’s claims.
On 80 minutes Villa keeper Martinez made a smart save to keep out Leandro Trossard’s shot from the edge of the area and Dunk had a goal-bound shot blocked. Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi then received a yellow card for his protestations against Villa’s time-wasting tactics.
With minutes remaining Albion missed a great chance of equalising when the unmarked Colwill headed over the Villa bar from Mac Allister’s cross and that was it.
Final-score 1-2.
Albion had 7 attempts at goal, with 2 on target and won 11 corners, free-kicks conceded – 1
4. Aston Villa had 8 attempts at goal, with 2 on target and won 4 corners, free-kicks conceded – 11.
VERDICT – Albion’s mini-winning run came to an end with a sloppy display against the Villa, despite going a goal up in the first minute. The two goals conceded were preventable and up front chances were missed. On the day, the unavailable Adam Webster and Kaoru Mitoma were badly missed. Seagulls resume their Premier League campaign at Southampton on the 26 December, where former Albion favourite Nathan Jones has just been appointed Head Coach.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Robert Sanchez; Pascal Gross, Lewis Dunk (Capt), Levi Colwill, Pervis Estupinan (Tariq Lamptey 81); Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister; Solly March, Adam Lallana (Julio Enciso 5) (Joel Veltman 59), Leandro Trossard; Danny Welbeck (Deniz Undav 59).
Subs not used: Jason Steele (G/K), Billy Gilmour, Jan Paul Van Hecke, Evan Ferguson, Ed Turns.
Aston Villa line-up (4-4-2):- Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne (Ludwig Augustinsson 82); John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz (Leander Dendoncker 83), Jacob Ramsey (Ashley Young 69); Emiliano Buendia (Leon Bailey 74), Danny Ings (Cameron Archer 83).
Subs not used: Robin Olsen (G/K), Calum Chambers, Morgan Sanson, Jan Bednarek.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Lancashire). Fourth Official: Graham Scott.
VAR Official: Jarred Gillett.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 3 – Pascal Gross, Moises Caicedo, Roberto De Zerbi.
Aston Villa: 7 – Emiliano Martinez, Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings, John McGinn, Boubacar Kamara, Ashley Young, Leon Bailey.
Possession: Albion – 65%. Aston Villa – 35%