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Brighton vs Aston Villa: Premier League Preview
Two sides battling for a place in Europe face off on Wednesday night as Brighton & Hove Albion host Aston Villa in a pivotal Premier League fixture at the AMEX Stadium.
by Berba
Setting the Scene
Fresh from a heart-breaking FA Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Nottingham Forest on penalties, Brighton return to league action needing to regroup quickly as the race for European qualification tightens. Fabian Hürzeler’s men are seventh in the standings with 47 points from 29 games and are firmly in the mix for a top-six finish, sitting just two points off fourth-placed Chelsea in a congested table.
For Aston Villa, it’s a different mood after they comfortably saw off Preston North End 3-0 to book a place at Wembley. Goals from Marcus Rashford and Jacob Ramsey sent the Villans through to the semi-finals as their strong campaign under Unai Emery continues on multiple fronts. Villa sit ninth in the table, just two points behind Brighton and four adrift of the Champions League places, making this a significant six-pointer in the race for Europe.
Recent Form
- Brighton are unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches, though their FA Cup exit over the weekend may have disrupted momentum. Their form at the AMEX has been solid overall, but they’ll be eager to bounce back with a statement win in front of their home support.
- Aston Villa have lost only three of their 18 matches in all competitions since the turn of the year, showcasing both depth and consistency. However, their away record remains a concern with just 17 points collected from 14 away fixtures, and Emery will be mindful of that heading into a potentially decisive run of games.
Head-to-Head History
Villa have had the upper hand in recent meetings between these two, winning five of their last eight encounters and losing just once. They claimed a 6-1 win in the reverse fixture earlier this season at Villa Park, their largest ever victory against Brighton.
However, the Seagulls have typically been a tougher proposition on home soil, and they'll be determined to turn around their recent struggles against the West Midlands side.
Key Stats
- Brighton have scored in 10 consecutive home games in the league, but defensive injuries have seen them concede 11 goals in their last five outings in all competitions.
- Aston Villa have scored at least twice in four of their last six Premier League matches but have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last five away league games.
- Villa’s win ratio against Brighton (55%) is their best against any current Premier League side they've faced 10 or more times.
Team News
Brighton:
Injuries continue to pile up for Hürzeler’s side, with up to 10 players unavailable. The likes of Solly March, James Milner, Joel Veltman, Tariq Lamptey, and Igor Julio remain sidelined, while Georginio Rutter is a doubt after suffering a knock in the FA Cup loss.
That could see Joao Pedro slot in behind Danny Welbeck, with Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh expected to provide width. Lewis Dunk should lead the backline alongside Jan Paul van Hecke.
Aston Villa:
Unai Emery has relatively few injury concerns, with only Ross Barkley ruled out due to a calf problem. Ollie Watkins is likely to return up front after being rested in the FA Cup, with Marcus Rashford reverting to a wider role.
At the back, Lucas Digne, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, and Tyrone Mings are all expected to start again, while Amadou Onana could come into midfield alongside Douglas Luiz and Youri Tielemans.