Brighton vs Aston Villa Player Ratings: Ollie Watkins 9.5/10 Rated as the Lions Survived a Seven-Goal Thriller in a 4-3 Victory

What a chaotic, breathless, and utterly brilliant game of football we just witnessed. This Premier League clash at The American Express Community Stadium had everything. Brighton & Hove Albion came flying out of the blocks, racing to a 2-0 lead thanks to a goal from Jan Paul van Hecke and a calamitous own goal from Pau Torres. It looked like curtains for the visitors.

But then, Aston Villa, and specifically Ollie Watkins, decided to tear up the script. He was simply unplayable. Watkins dragged his team back from the brink with a brilliant first-half brace, leveling the scores in a frantic finish to the opening 45 minutes. The momentum had completely swung.

The second half saw Villa's resilience shine through. A goal from the immense Amadou Onana and another from substitute Donyell Malen put them in a commanding 4-2 lead. Brighton fought back, with Van Hecke grabbing his second of the game to set up a nail-biting finish, but Villa held on for a memorable 4-3 victory. This was a wild ride, a true spectacle for the neutral fan and a huge character-building win for Villa in this incredible match.

Here are Sportsdunia's Brighton vs Aston Villa player ratings.

Aston Villa Player Ratings vs Brighton

Check out the Aston Villa player ratings for the Brighton vs Aston Villa fixture.

Goalkeeper

Marco Bizot - 5.0: A really nervy performance from the goalkeeper. He conceded three goals and was directly at fault for one with a glaring error. While he made a few saves, he never looked comfortable or commanding. From our perspective, his lack of confidence seemed to spread to the backline in the early stages. Not a day he'll want to remember.

Defenders

Matty Cash - 6.5: A classic Matty Cash performance, full of energy and contradictions. He provided a brilliant assist and was always an outlet on the right. However, he was also part of a defence that was all over the place in the first half. He lost possession a few too many times for our liking but his attacking contribution was vital.

Ezri Konsa - 6.5: He was the calmer of the two central defenders, which isn't saying much given the chaos. Konsa made some important interventions and was unlucky to see a header hit the woodwork. He stood up well when Brighton were throwing everything at them in the final moments. A decent, if not spectacular, outing.

Pau Torres - 4.5: A disastrous first half for the Spaniard. The own goal was simply calamitous, a moment of pure panic. He looked completely rattled for the first 30 minutes. To his credit, he did settle down and his passing numbers were fine, but that early mistake was so costly and set a terrible tone for his team.

Ian Maatsen - 7.5: What stood out to us was his constant desire to get forward. He was a livewire on the left flank and grabbed a deserved assist for Villa's first goal. Defensively he was tested, but his attacking impetus was crucial in turning the tide of the game. A very promising performance.

Midfielders

John McGinn - 5.5: A strangely anonymous game from the captain. He struggled to get into the game or impose his usual brand of tenacity on the midfield battle. Picked up a needless yellow card and was eventually substituted. Just one of those off-days for a player who is usually so influential.

Amadou Onana - 8.5: An absolute monster in the middle of the park. He was everywhere. He scored the crucial third goal, hit the woodwork, and his defensive stats are immense with seven duels won and five tackles. He provided the steel and the drive that Villa desperately needed. A commanding display.

Morgan Rogers - 7.0: He was a key creative spark, grabbing the assist for Watkins' equalizer. Rogers was always trying to make things happen and looked dangerous on the ball. The downside? He lost possession 20 times, which is alarmingly high and put his team under pressure unnecessarily at times.

Boubacar Kamara - 6.5: A tidy and effective performance before he was substituted. He did the simple things well, kept possession ticking over and provided a solid shield in front of the back four. He played his role effectively without any fuss before making way.

Forwards

Evann Guessand - 6.0: Provided an assist which is a significant contribution. However, he also missed a big chance to score himself and often drifted to the periphery of the game. We wanted to see more involvement from him, but it was a quiet afternoon overall.

Ollie Watkins - 9.5: The highest-rated player and undisputed Man of the Match. This was a masterclass in center-forward play. He was clinical with his two goals, dragging his team back into the game almost single-handedly. His movement, link-up play, and sheer will to win were breathtaking. A phenomenal, game-winning performance.

Substitutes

Lucas Digne - N/A: Came on for Maatsen but didn't have enough time to make an impact.
Youri Tielemans - 6.5: Came on and helped Villa see out the game with his composure on the ball.
Donyell Malen - 7.5: What an impact. Came on and scored the winning goal with a clinical finish. You can't ask for more from a substitute.
Emiliano Buendía - N/A: Late sub for the hero Watkins.
Lamare Bogarde - N/A: Brought on to shore things up in the final minutes.

Manager

U. Emery Etxegoien - 8.0: His team looked dead and buried at 2-0, but he clearly inspired an incredible comeback. His decision to bring on Donyell Malen was a masterstroke that won his side the game. He'll be furious with the defensive start, but delighted with the character his team showed.

Brighton Player Ratings vs Aston Villa

Check out the Brighton player ratings for the Brighton vs Aston Villa fixture.

Goalkeeper

Bart Verbruggen - 6.0: It's always tough for a keeper who concedes four goals. He made six saves, some of which were excellent, but he ultimately couldn't stop the Villa onslaught. From our perspective, he was badly let down by the shambolic defending in front of him. He also picked up a booking.

Defenders

Lewis Dunk - 5.0: As the captain of the defence, he has to take some responsibility for that performance. Brighton looked disorganised and vulnerable every time Villa attacked. He was comfortable on the ball as always but seemed a step off the pace defensively and was part of a backline that conceded four.

Jan Paul van Hecke - 8.5: This is an almost impossible performance to rate. He scored two excellent goals, showing the instincts of a striker. Offensively, he was brilliant. Defensively, however, he was part of a unit that was torn to shreds. A bizarre, chaotic, but ultimately very impressive individual showing.

Ferdi Kadıoğlu - 5.0: He really struggled to cope with Villa's wide players. He was caught out of position multiple times and looked overwhelmed before being substituted in the second half. A difficult afternoon for the defender.

Mats Wieffer - 7.5: One of Brighton's best players on the day. He was a force in midfield, winning a remarkable 11 duels and making six tackles. He also provided the assist for the opening goal. A tireless and combative performance that deserved more.

Midfielders

Brajan Gruda - 6.0: Showed some nice touches and was involved in Brighton's bright start. However, his influence waned significantly as the game went on and it was no surprise to see him substituted. A decent but ultimately ineffective outing.

Yankuba Minteh - 6.5: A frustrating player to watch. He has so much talent and created four chances, which is a great return. But his final product was often poor and he lost the ball far too often. If he could add more consistency to his game, he would be a real weapon.

Carlos Baleba - 6.5: He put in a real shift in the midfield engine room. His defensive numbers were strong, with three interceptions and six duels won. Provided a solid platform before being taken off as Brighton chased the game.

Diego Gómez - 6.0: A typically industrious performance. He ran his socks off and was constantly harrying the Villa midfield, earning a yellow card for his troubles. Lacked a bit of quality on the ball but his work rate was undeniable.

Maxim De Cuyper - 7.0: Another of Brighton's better performers. He was a constant threat down the left, creating two chances and always looking to deliver dangerous crosses into the box. A very positive and attacking display.

Forwards

Stefanos Tzimas - N/A: His game was cruelly cut short by an early injury. It was a real shame as he looked sharp in the opening minutes.

Substitutes

Jack Hinshelwood - 7.0: Came on early for the injured Tzimas and made a real impact, providing the assist for Brighton's third goal.
Danny Welbeck - 6.0: Came on to add a physical presence up front but missed a decent chance to score.
Joël Veltman - 6.0: Brought on to add some experience to the backline.
Charalampos Kostoulas - 6.5: Looked lively after coming on and forced a good save from the keeper.

Manager

F. Hürzeler - 6.0: His team's start was electric, and they executed his game plan perfectly for 25 minutes. But he watched his side completely collapse defensively. He couldn't find a way to stop Villa's momentum once the comeback started, and the team looked tactically naive at the back.

Sportsdunia's Player of the Match Goes to Ollie Watkins