Aston Villa strengthened their push for a top-four finish with a commanding 3-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium. Goals from Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, and Donyell Malen secured all three points for Unai Emery’s side, who leapfrogged Brighton in the Premier League standings.
After a goalless first half, Villa took control early in the second period. Rashford, on loan from Manchester United, opened the scoring in the 51st minute with a composed finish following a rapid counter-attack. The England forward, who recently broke a four-month goal drought in the FA Cup, continued his resurgence under Emery’s guidance.
Brighton thought they had responded immediately when Simon Adingra scrambled home a close-range effort, but the goal was ruled out for a handball by Kaoru Mitoma in the build-up.
Villa extended their lead in the 78th minute when Asensio, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, capitalized on unselfish play from Morgan Rogers to blast the ball past Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
The visitors put the game beyond doubt deep into stoppage time, as substitute Malen fired home his first goal for the club, securing a vital victory.
The result dealt a blow to Brighton’s European ambitions, coming just days after their FA Cup quarter-final exit against Nottingham Forest. Fatigue from that contest appeared to take its toll, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side struggling to find their usual rhythm.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa continue their strong campaign under Emery, staying firmly in contention for a Champions League spot. With an FA Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace and a Champions League quarter-final against PSG on the horizon, Villa’s season remains alive on multiple fronts.
As Brighton aim to recover from this setback, Villa will look to build on this momentum in their remaining league fixtures, hoping to secure a coveted top-four finish.
