TNT Sports
Aston Villa 6-1 Brighton & Hove Albion - Inspired Ollie Watkins nets hat-trick in big Premier League win
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Published 30/09/2023 at 12:32 GMT+1
Ollie Watkins was in sublime form for Aston Villa as they swept aside Brighton in their Premier League clash at Villa Park on Saturday in the early kick-off, live on TNT Sports. Watkins netted his first hat-trick since he produced a similar feat against Liverpool in an unexpected 7-2 victory in October 2020, and Brighton did not have much answer as they conceded six goals in the match.
Ollie Watkins of Aston villa celebrates his second goal during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion at Villa Park
Image credit: Getty Images
Ollie Watkins fired a superb hat-trick as Aston Villa stormed to a 6-1 win over a previously high-flying Brighton at Villa Park.
The hosts made it 10 straight Premier League wins on the bounce on home turf as a super-charged start saw them score three times in the opening 26 minutes.
Watkins was at the heart of the shell-shocked Seagulls’ demise, opening the scoring from close range on 14 minutes after a superb move involving Matty Cash and John McGinn.
The Villa striker then grabbed his second just seven minutes later as he polished off a rapid break by cutting in from the left and rifling a low shot in at the near post.
Brighton, who could have gone level on points with leaders Manchester City with a victory, were continually exposed at the back and their misery was further compounded when Pervis Estupinan turned Moussa Diaby’s miscued shot into his own net.
Roberto de Zerbi responded with a triple change at the break with two of the substitutes combining to reduce the arrears on 50 minutes. Joao Pedro crossed from the left byline for Ansu Fati to lash in at the far post to claim his first goal for the Seagulls since signing on-loan from Barcelona.
The away side suddenly appeared to have the momentum, but Watkins burst their bubble on 65 minutes when he made sure of the match ball with a deflected strike from just inside the area.
Substitute Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz then added a fifth and a sixth late on.
The result sees Villa leapfrog Brighton into third spot on goal difference ahead of the rest of the weekend’s fixtures.
Next up, Villa host Zrinjski in the Europa Conference League on Thursday night, while Brighton will aim to bounce back when they visit Marseille in the Europa League.
Talking Point
Brighton hit for six as Villa run riot.
This turned into an incredibly one-sided rout as Villa ruthlessly exposed the visitors’ defensive deficiencies.
For all of the talk of how impressive Brighton are in attack, they can be porous at the back and this was an 11th Premier League match without keeping a clean sheet. De Zerbi and Co will no doubt put this behind them and return to winning ways, but it won’t go unnoticed by rival clubs and it’s an area the Seagulls will need to remedy quickly as only Sheffield United have shipped more (prior to the rest of the weekend's matches).
As for Villa, this was a statement performance against a rival at the upper echelons of the division. It says much about Unai Emery’s impact that only Man City have secured more PL points than the Villans in 2023 and their imperious home form will no doubt be key to their lofty ambitions going forward with a push for the Champions League places surely on their radar.
Player of the match
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa). The striker ran Brighton ragged in the first half, threatening to add to his tally every time he was allowed to run at pace from the left channel. The 27-year-old then struck an all-important fourth to kill off hopes of a Seagulls fightback and complete his hat-trick past the hour. The icing on the cake came via two late assists to cap an exceptional all-round display.
Player Ratings
ASTON VILLA: Martinez 8, Cash 8, Konsa 8, Pau Torres 8, Digne 8, Luiz 8, Kamara 8, McGinn 8, Diaby 8, Zaniolo 7, Watkins 10. Subs: Ramsey 7, Duran 6, Tielemans n/a.
BRIGHTON: Steele 6, Veltman 5, Webster 5, Dunk 5, Estupinan 4, March 5, Gilmour 6, Hinshelwood 5, Mitoma 5, Welbeck 5, Ferguson 5. Subs: Lamptey 6, Joao Pedro 6, Fati 6, Adingra 6, Baleba n/a.
Match Highlights
14’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 1-0 Brighton. Watkins tucks home from close range after a slick move saw Cash spring free and fire a devilish cross into the six-yard box.
21’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 2-0 Brighton. Watkins latches on to Diaby's pass and leads a lightning counter-attack. The forward cuts in from the left side of the box and drills a low shot beyond Steele in at the near post.
26’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 3-0 Brighton. The Seagulls are being overrun. Diaby has a thumping shot blocked by Steele but when the Villa man miscues the rebound, the unfortunate Estupinan can only divert the ball into his own net.
50’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 3-1 Brighton. Fati steers in at the far post after brilliant play from Joao Pedro tight to the left byline.
65’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 4-1 Brighton. Hat-trick for Watkins! The striker starts and finishes off a counter attack as he picks up the ball on the right side of the box and lashes a deflected effort beyond the dive of Steele.
85’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 5-1 Brighton. Ramsey puts the icing on the cake as he comes off the bench to dart in from the left and curve a nice shot beyond the dive of Steele and into the far corner.
90+7’ – GOAL! – Aston Villa 6-1 Brighton. Luiz rolls the ball into a empty net after Watkins' thumping shot was well saved by Steele.
Key Stat
Watkins has scored in each of his last four appearances versus Brighton.
Brighton have conceded six or more goals in a single top-flight match for the very first time, and first time in any league game since a 6-0 defeat to West Ham in the Championship in April 2012.
Villa have won five of their opening seven Premier League games for just the third time, having done so in 1998-99 and 2020-21.
Watkins is the first player to score two hat-tricks in a single season in all competitions for Aston Villa since Andy Gray in 1976-77.
Villa have now won 10 consecutive Premier League games at Villa Park since the start of March, with only Man City (13) on a longer ongoing home winning run in the competition.
Douglas Luiz has become only the second player to score in five consecutive home Premier League appearances for Aston Villa, after Dwight Yorke in December 1996.
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