Aston Villa got the weekend’s Premier League action started by extending their incredible record at Villa Park to 10 consecutive league wins with a 6-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon.
With Gareth Southgate in attendance, Ollie Watkins got his second hat-trick this term, becoming the first Villa player to score two top-flight hat-tricks in a season since Andy Gray back in 1976-77.
Villa came into the match having won each of their last four matches against the Seagulls, and despite the visitors bossing the possession, even a one-eyed seagull would have seen that the hosts were deserved winners.
Chances were at a premium in the first quarter of an hour until John McGinn slid a good pass down the right flank to Matty Cash, who picked out Watkins in the box, and the England international tapped in for the opening goal of the match.
Before today, Villa had won all four league games in which they took the lead, while Brighton have still not kept a clean sheet this season.
After taking the lead, The Villans were the more attacking side and went two up after Watkins cut into the box from a Moussa Diaby through pass and fired past Jason Steele at his near post for his second of the afternoon.
Watkins brought a 12-match goalless run in the league to an end last weekend, and Villa have been doing their best to negotiate a contract extension with the 27-year-old, who will enter the final year of his current deal at the end of this season.
Villa’s reputation as a hoodoo team for Brighton was reinforced today when a scuffed shot that was going well wide by Diaby caught the foot of Pervis Estupinan and deflected past a despairing Steele, putting the hosts three up inside the first half-hour.
There have been very few bad days for Roberto de Zerbi since taking charge of the Seagulls, but with his side conceding three goals in the space of 12 minutes, it was turning into a forgettable afternoon very quickly.
The Lions’ second and third goals were reviewed by VAR for offside and a possible foul in the build-up, respectively, and it will be interesting to hear the post-match thoughts of the Brighton boss around both decisions.
The first half could be summed up as an outstanding performance by Villa, who closed down Brighton at pace and were brilliant in transition.
De Zerbi made a triple change at halftime as he did to excellent effect last week against Bournemouth as well, and the results were immediate as substitutes Joao Pedro and Ansu Fati combined within five minutes of coming on to pull one back for the visitors.
Fair to say, the Italian manager’s tactical moves so far this term have been incredible as Brighton have now scored six goals this season through substitutes, which is the most of any team in the league.
After Watkins stuck away his third of the afternoon, Villa were by far the better side in the closing stages of the match and Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz added two late goals to take Villa above the Seagulls into third for the time being.
Both sides will now turn their attentions to Europe in midweek, where The Villans will entertain Zrinjski while The Seagulls will head to France to take on Olympique Marseille.
