Aston Villa 1-0 Brighton Player Ratings: Hinshelwood's Own Goal Seals Three Points for Hosts | Premier League

Aston Villa claimed a dramatic 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion in a tense Premier League clash at Villa Park. The match was closely fought from start to finish and looked set to end in a draw for long periods.

Brighton will feel unlucky not to take something from the game. They created better chances, especially in the second half, and came closest to scoring when Ferdi Kadioglu struck the crossbar. Villa were forced to defend deep at times as Brighton pressed for a breakthrough.

With time running out, the decisive moment finally arrived. In the 86th minute, Tyrone Mings rose above the Brighton defence to head home from a corner, sending the home crowd into celebration.

Villa then showed great determination to protect their lead in the closing minutes. It was not a flashy performance, but it was an important and hard-earned win that earned them all three points.

Key Takeaways

1. Ferdi Kadıoğlu hit the crossbar as Brighton pushed for a second-half goal.
2. Tyrone Mings scored the winning goal with a header from a corner in the 86th minute.
3. Aston Villa defended strongly in the final minutes to secure the 1-0 victory.

Aston Villa Player Ratings vs Brighton

Check out Aston Villa player ratings from the match against Brighton:

Goalkeeper

Emiliano Martínez - 7.5: A really commanding performance from the Villa keeper. He made a few crucial saves, especially the one to deny Danny Welbeck just before halftime. We noticed his distribution was ambitious, and he claimed everything in the air with confidence. Picked up a yellow card for his antics, but that's just him. He was a rock when his team needed him most.

Defenders

Ezri Konsa - 7.0: Wore the captain's armband and led by example with a solid, no-nonsense display. His 100% pass accuracy is genuinely insane, showing his composure on the ball. He was positionally sound and made a couple of key clearances. He might have done better with a couple of attacking headers, but his primary job was done well. A reliable performance.

Tyrone Mings - 8.5: The hero of the hour and our highest-rated player. What a time to score your first goal of the season. His header was powerful and perfectly placed, a true match-winner. Beyond the goal, he was a giant at the back, making four clearances and winning his duels. A colossal performance that earned his team the win.

Ian Maatsen - 6.5: An energetic, if sometimes chaotic, performance from the full-back. He was heavily involved, making an impressive seven clearances and getting forward to support the attack. However, we did notice he lost possession quite frequently, which put his side under pressure. A mixed bag, but his work rate was undeniable.

Lamare Bogarde - 6.5: A steady showing from the young defender. He was tidy in possession and didn't take too many risks. He struggled a bit in the air, losing a few aerial duels, but he held his ground well. For a game of this intensity, he didn't look out of place at all. A decent shift.

Midfielders

Douglas Luiz - 7.0: The engine room of the Villa midfield. He was absolutely everywhere, recovering the ball eight times and drawing five fouls. What stood out to us was his sheer tenacity in the tackle. He was a bit loose with the ball at times, losing it more than he'd like, but his defensive contribution was immense. He really broke up Brighton's rhythm.

Amadou Onana - 6.5: A solid if unspectacular outing before being subbed. He was a physical presence in the middle, winning most of his duels and putting himself about. He tried his luck with a few shots from distance but couldn't find the target. Did his job without any fuss. A functional performance.

Emiliano Buendía - 6.0: We expected a bit more from him, to be honest. He was on the pitch for an hour but struggled to really influence the game. He created one key pass but was otherwise on the periphery of the action. Not a bad performance, just a very quiet one.

Jadon Sancho - 6.0: Similar to Buendía, it just didn't quite click for Sancho. He showed flashes of his quality, creating three chances which was encouraging. However, he also gave the ball away cheaply and made an error that led to a shot. He was subbed at 60 minutes, and it felt like the right call.

Morgan Rogers - 7.0: Villa's most dangerous attacker, in our opinion. He was constantly looking to make something happen, taking four shots. He forced a very good save from the keeper and was a livewire throughout. He was a little wasteful at times and picked up a booking, but his positive intent was a huge plus for the home side.

Forwards

Ollie Watkins - 5.5: A very frustrating evening for the striker. He was isolated for large parts of the game and received very little service. He worked hard and chased defenders but had no real sights of goal. It was one of those games where nothing fell for him. A day to forget.

Substitutes

Ross Barkley - N/A: Came on for the final 30 minutes but didn't have a major impact.

Leon Bailey - N/A: Replaced Sancho and provided some energy on the wing.

Alysson Edward - N/A: Came on late for Ollie Watkins.

Tammy Abraham - N/A: A late sub to help see out the game.

Victor Lindelöf - N/A: Brought on in the final minutes to shore up the defence.

Manager

U. Emery Etxegoien - 7.5: He got the result, and that's all that matters. His team wasn't at their free-flowing best, but they showed grit and determination. He made changes in the second half to try and find a breakthrough. Ultimately, the plan to capitalize on a set-piece worked to perfection. A tactically astute win.

Brighton Player Ratings vs Aston Villa

Here are Brighton player ratings from the EPL clash against Aston Villa:

Goalkeeper

Bart Verbruggen - 6.0: Couldn't do anything about the powerful header from Tyrone Mings. He made a couple of smart saves, most notably to deny Morgan Rogers in the first half. His distribution was okay, but he wasn't tested too often. A standard day at the office for the keeper, ruined by one moment.

Defenders

Lewis Dunk - 6.5: A typical Lewis Dunk performance. He was composed on the ball and strong in the challenge, leading his backline well. He will be furious to have conceded from a corner, as it's something they pride themselves on. Overall, though, he was solid and didn't put a foot wrong individually.

Jan Paul van Hecke - 6.0: His game was unfortunately cut short by an injury after an hour. Before that, he was doing a decent job, making some key interceptions. He did pick up a yellow card and looked a little rash at times. A shame his afternoon ended prematurely.

Joël Veltman - 5.5: From our perspective, he seemed to struggle a bit. He was booked in the first half and committed a couple of needless fouls. While he made some important blocks and clearances, he looked a little off the pace. Not his best day.

Ferdi Kadıoğlu - 7.0: Probably Brighton's best player on the day. He was so unlucky to see his brilliant long-range effort crash back off the crossbar. Defensively, he was excellent, winning his tackles and getting up the pitch to support attacks. A really impressive all-round performance.

Midfielders

Pascal Groß - 7.5: The creative heart of this Brighton team. Everything good seemed to flow through him. His delivery from set-pieces and open play was consistently dangerous, creating three key chances. He worked tirelessly and was a constant threat. He deserved to be on the winning side for his efforts.

Jack Hinshelwood - 6.0: A very eventful game for the midfielder. He got into some great scoring positions but lacked the composure to finish, blazing a few chances over. He was involved in everything, for better or worse. Committed a few too many fouls for our liking, but you can't fault his energy.

Carlos Baleba - 4.5: A disastrous start. He was booked within two minutes for a clumsy challenge. He looked completely off the pace and was substituted after just 22 minutes. It was a clear sign from the manager that it just wasn't his day. A performance to forget.

Forwards

Kaoru Mitoma - 6.5: He was a constant menace on the left wing. His direct running caused problems, and he drew several fouls. However, his final ball and finishing were just a little bit off. He got into great positions but couldn't provide that killer touch. Always a threat, but no end product here.

Danny Welbeck - 6.5: He led the line well and worked his socks off for the team. He forced a good save from Martínez in the first half with a decent strike. He linked up play nicely but, like the rest of the attack, just couldn't find that clinical edge in the box. A tireless effort.

Diego Gómez - 6.0: What stood out to us was his incredible work rate. He made five tackles and was a real pest. Unfortunately, his quality on the ball didn't match his effort. He lost possession too many times and struggled to create anything meaningful in the final third.

Substitutes

James Milner - N/A: Came on early for Carlos Baleba and added experience and stability to the midfield.

Olivier Boscagli - N/A: Replaced the injured Jan Paul van Hecke and slotted into the defence seamlessly.

Charalampos Kostoulas - N/A: A late substitute for Danny Welbeck.

Yankuba Minteh - N/A: Came on for the final ten minutes but had little time to make an impact.

Harry Howell - N/A: A late arrival with little time to influence proceedings.

Manager

F. Hürzeler - 6.5: He'll be scratching his head wondering how they lost this. His team executed the game plan well, created the better chances, and controlled large parts of the match. His decision to hook Carlos Baleba early was ruthless but correct. Ultimately, his team was punished for a momentary lapse in concentration at a corner.

Man of the Match

Sportsdunia's player of the match was Tyrone Mings.

Worst Performer

Carlos Baleba was unable to make any impact.