Aston Villa v Brighton & Hove Albion Live Commentary & Result, 28/05/2023, Premier League

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	MCI Manchester City	38	28	5	5	94	33	+61	89	L D W W W
2	ARS Arsenal	38	26	6	6	88	43	+45	84	W L L W W
3	MUN Manchester United	38	23	6	9	58	43	+15	75	W W W W L
4	NEW Newcastle United	38	19	14	5	68	33	+35	71	D D W D L
5	LIV Liverpool	38	19	10	9	75	47	+28	67	D D W W W
6	BHA Brighton & Hove Albion	38	18	8	12	72	53	+19	62	L D W L W
7	AVL Aston Villa	38	18	7	13	51	46	+5	61	W D W L L
8	TOT Tottenham Hotspur	38	18	6	14	70	63	+7	60	W L L W L
9	BRE Brentford	38	15	14	9	58	46	+12	59	W W W L W
10	FUL Fulham	38	15	7	16	55	53	+2	52	L D W W L
11	CRY Crystal Palace	38	11	12	15	40	49	-9	45	D D W L W
12	CHE Chelsea	38	11	11	16	38	47	-9	44	D L L D W
13	WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers	38	11	8	19	31	58	-27	41	L D L W L
14	WHU West Ham United	38	11	7	20	42	55	-13	40	L W L W L
15	BOU AFC Bournemouth	38	11	6	21	37	71	-34	39	L L L L W
16	NFO Nottingham Forest	38	9	11	18	38	68	-30	38	D W D W L
17	EVE Everton	38	8	12	18	34	57	-23	36	W D L W D
18	LEI Leicester City	38	9	7	22	51	68	-17	34	W D L L D
19	LEE Leeds United	38	7	10	21	48	78	-30	31	L L D L L
20	SOU Southampton	38	6	7	25	36	73	-37	25	D L L L L

It's been a fantastic Premier League campaign for both Villa and Brighton then. Both teams will play in Europe next season. That's all for now. Goodbye!

Villa will be delighted with their performance this season. Emery has given this grand old club reason to celebrate again. He's certainly got the best out of Watkins, whose 15th goal of the campaign has sent the Villans to the Europa Conference League. Brighton won't mind losing this game at all, having already qualified for the Europa League.

Villa have seen off Brighton to end this Premier League season in seventh place! The West Midlanders have picked up a deserved victory here at Villa Park, scoring twice in the first half and successfully defending their lead in the second. European football next season is their reward.

90' + 7' FULL-TIME: ASTON VILLA 2-1 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

90' + 6' McGinn wisely takes the ball to the corner flag. The Scot earns Villa a corner, but they don't need to take it! That's it!

90' + 5' Martinez understandably takes his time over the free-kick. Once he takes it, Ramsey gets in behind and fires straight into Steele, who makes a big block. He won't get his goal today, but he won't mind if the scoreline stays as it is.

90' + 4' Villa have everyone back in their own half. The offside flag goes up against Mitoma.

90' + 2' Brighton have had 74 per cent possession in the last 15 minutes. Villa are holding firm though.

90' Villa have to hang on for six more minutes. The home fans break into song, trying to cheer their players over the line.

J. Hinshelwood

D. Undav

89' Brighton substitution. Their 18-year-old youth product Hinshelwood replaces Undav.

89' Digne's curling free-kick isn't too far away from finding the top right corner.

P. Groß

Yellow Card

88' Gross picks up a late yellow card for dissent.

87' Watkins wants a free-kick around the edge of the box as he gets sandwiched between Estupinan and Van Hecke.

86' Villa are almost there. The referee's assistant raises his flag against Ferguson, who's offside.

84' Once again, Ramsey nearly puts this game to bed for Villa! The winger powers down the left and rolls a cross towards Watkins who can't reach it! Brighton hurry the ball away.

83' Luiz gets stars in his eyes and tries to beat Steele from way out. The Brazilian's shot sails way over the crossbar.

82' Villa are getting things under control at a vital time. McGinn makes a terrific run down the right to have a cross cleared by Van Hecke. Mings soon wins another free-kick.

81' Buendia sidefoots his free-kick straight into the wall. It's not the Argentine's best effort.

79' It's another Villa free-kick. Luiz's delivery is just in front of Watkins, but the referee spots Gross hauling down Mings just outside the box. They'll get another crack at goal from closer range.

77' Brighton's corner is uneventful. The visitors clearly care about getting a result here, but Villa need the three points more than they do.

76' Mitoma twists this way and that to send Cash tumbling near the byline. Mings plays things safe by putting the ball out for a corner.

75' Villa create a decent scoring opportunity from the free-kick. Watkins' header is tame and an easy catch for Steele.

M. Caicedo

Yellow Card

73' Caicedo knocks knees with Luiz and ends up getting booked for it.

72' Mac Allister gets a routine save out of Martinez with a low effort from range. Villa are in for a nervy end to this game unless they can find another goal.

71' Watkins nearly gets a sniff of goal as he jockeys himself for a ball over the top. Van Hecke does enough to put the Villa striker off.

69' Mitoma glides past Cash to earn Brighton a corner, but they can't do anything with it.

E. Buendía

L. Bailey

69' Villa make their first change of the game. Buendia replaces Bailey.

J. McGinn

Yellow Card

67' McGinn's shown the yellow card for bringing down Mitoma.

K. Mitoma

J. Enciso

65' Villa are glad to see the back of Enciso. They now have to deal with the different threat Mitoma offers.

J. van Hecke

A. Webster

65' Webster leaves the pitch. Van Hecke replaces him at centre-back for Brighton.

65' Undav gets sight of goal from range but gets his effort all wrong. Brighton are about to make more changes.

F. Buonanotte

Yellow Card

63' Villa see out the corner. Brighton surge forward and Digne gets a foul out of Gross on the left wing. Buonanotte's booked for protesting the decision.

61' Brighton are upping their game. Enciso beats Cash and forces Digne to poke out for a corner at the far post with Buonanotte lurking.

60' Enciso's trickery down the left doesn't pay off as his team-mates aren't on the same wavelength.

58' Play stops briefly as Bailey recovers from a knock. Emery gives his players some advice. They've got to be careful given Brighton's attacking threat.

56' Ramsey blows a glorious chance to put Villa 3-1 up! Bailey beats Estupinan and squares the ball for the 22-year-old, who blazes over with the goal at his mercy! How costly will that be for the hosts?

55' Mac Allister is a whisker away from converting a rebound from the edge of the box. The Argentine's strike drifts just wide of his compatriot Martinez's goal.

54' Enciso keeps Buonanotte's curved cross alive at the far post. He can't find the final pass though. Villa clear.

53' Digne's bended cross deflects off Buonanotte and out for a Villa corner. Brighton deal with it without any fuss.

52' Enciso's stop-start run causes Villa problems. Luiz cleverly buys a free-kick in his own half to ease the pressure on the hosts.

50' Luiz's around-the-corner pass gets picked up by Colwill. Villa suddenly look a little nervous.

48' Estupinan's making his presence felt at left-back already. Let's see how Villa deal with the Colombian's forward runs.

M. Caicedo

Y. Ayari

46' Ayari is also sacrificed. Caicedo takes his place in Brighton's midfield.

P. Estupiñán

J. Veltman

46' Brighton make two half-time changes. They're not taking this possible defeat lying down. Estupinan replaces Veltman first.

Villa will be delighted to have reached half-time still ahead. The Villans have won 11 of the 13 Premier League games they've led at this stage this season. Brighton have lost all six games in which they've been trailing at the break.

Both Villa and Brighton are 45 minutes from competing in Europe next season as things stand. Villa got off to a fast start, racing into a 2-0 lead before the half-hour mark, but Brighton have had their chances and pulled a goal back through Undav. It feels like there'll be more goals after the break.

45' + 4' HALF-TIME: ASTON VILLA 2-1 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION

45' + 2' Colwill hands Villa a corner which Brighton survive. Steele looks upfield for Gross who's offside.

45' We're entering four minutes of added time at the end of this first half. It's raced by. Undav reaches Enciso's throughball in the centre of the box and gets a decent save out of Martinez.

44' Four of Undav's five Premier League goals this season have come in his last four starts. The German's ending the season on a high.

42' Villa get a free-kick as Veltman checks Watkins. Luiz goes straight for goal and fires high and wide to the right.

40' Villa haven't lost heart. They're straight back on the attack and angry as they aren't given a corner. They really want that seventh-placed finish.

P. Groß

Assist

38' That was a clever free-kick from Gross, who caught Villa's backline off guard. After a long VAR check for offside, the goal is given.

D. Undav

Goal

38' GOAL! ASTON VILLA 2-1 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION! Brighton pull a goal back through a well-worked free-kick! Undav controls Gross' direct ball from deep and slots it calmly past Martinez.

T. Mings

Yellow Card

37' Villa's corner comes to nothing, so Brighton try to break. Mings slides in to stop Buonanotte and earn himself a yellow card.

35' Undav's caught offside as he goes for Ayari's pass. Up the other end, Colwill tracks back to stop Ramsey and hand Villa a corner.

33' McGinn goes for goal on the stretch and forces Steele to make a simple save. There's plenty more goals in this game by the look of it.

32' Enciso can't beat Martinez from a difficult angle. Ramsey promptly beats his man down the left and looks for McGinn, who can't reach the ball before Steele. The 22-year-old's been fantastic so far.

30' Brighton are still making chances. Ferguson bears down on goal but Kamara blocks the Irishman's shot to concede a corner.

28' There's a brief pause in play as Mac Allister receives treatment. The tackle he got from McGinn was firm but fair.

J. Ramsey

Assist

26' Ramsey's speed took him away from Veltman there for him to notch his second assist of the game. That was a great goal all round by Villa though. McGinn and Bailey's contributions were just as valuable.

O. Watkins

Goal

26' GOAL! ASTON VILLA 2-0 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION! Watkins finishes a brilliant counter to double Villa's lead! McGinn dispossesses Mac Allister and Bailey immediately frees Ramsey who's closed down by Steele. He unselfishly squares the ball for his striker, who slots into an empty net.

25' Bailey picks up the ball outside the box and sends a shot whistling wide of the top right corner.

J. Ramsey

Yellow Card

24' Ramsey's the latest player to be booked for a cynical foul on Ayari. This has been a feisty affair so far.

M. Cash

Yellow Card

22' Cash steams into the back of Enciso and chops him down. The Poland right-back is shown the yellow card.

20' NO GOAL! ASTON VILLA 1-0 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION! Enciso was offside as he made his run, so Brighton are denied their equaliser. There's a huge roar around Villa Park as the decision's announced. The Villa fans are delighted with that.

19' GOAL! ASTON VILLA 1-1 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION! Brighton don't plan on making things easy for Villa! Webster's exquisite ball over the top frees Enciso down the left. The Paraguayan cuts inside and floats a cross into the middle that's stabbed in by Undav! The goal's being checked by VAR...

17' Villa pass their way through Brighton's press but aren't able to test Steele. Their improvement since Emery's arrival last November has been extraordinary.

16' Kamara gets clipped in his own half by Enciso. Brighton aren't shirking away from their tackles, that's for sure.

14' Digne stretches to reach McGinn's pass down the left but isn't able to keep it in play.

D. Undav

Yellow Card

12' Undav gets an early booking for a sliding challenge that catches Watkins.

11' Bailey's awarded a free-kick in his own half as Gross closes him down too eagerly. Villa look bright on the counter.

9' Brighton almost equalise immediately! Ferguson beats Villa's offside trap to latch onto Mac Allister's pass and fire just over from the edge of the box.

J. Ramsey

Assist

8' That's great work by the birthday boy Ramsey, and great news for Villa fans! He put the ball on a plate for Luiz, whose finish was accomplished.

Douglas Luiz

Goal

8' GOAL! ASTON VILLA 1-0 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION! Villa have the lead they need! Ramsey powers down the left and finds Luiz with a clever cutback in the box. The Brazilian steadies himself to steer the ball calmly into the far bottom corner.

7' Brighton take the free-kick. Webster gets caught offside from Gross' throughball.

5' Bailey gets on the end of Ramsey's cross from the left and has a shot blocked from the centre of the box. Luiz fouls Ayari to hand Brighton a free-kick.

3' Villa are getting settled on the ball. Brighton are showing no signs of being uninterested in winning so far.

1' Brighton get both teams' final game of this league season underway!

Villa will be confident of getting the win they need here. The hosts have lost just one of their last seven league matches with Brighton and have won all of the last three. However, they've won their final game in just one of their last eight Premier League campaigns. Now's the time for them to buck that trend.

There are six changes to Brighton from their own 1-1 home draw with Manchester City midweek. Mac Allister starts, while Ferguson returns up front.

Villa are unchanged from their 1-1 draw away to Liverpool last week. Ramsey starts on his 22nd birthday.

SUBS: Billy Gilmour, Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck, Moises Caicedo, Pervis Estupinan, Thomas McGill, Jan-Paul van Hecke, Jack Hinshelwood, Lewis Dunk.

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION (4-2-3-1): Jason Steele; Pascal Groß (c), Adam Webster, Levi Samuels Colwill, Joel Veltman; Yasin Ayari, Alexis Mac Allister; Facundo Buonanotte, Deniz Undav, Julio Enciso; Evan Ferguson.

SUBS: Bertrand Traore, Robin Olsen, Leander Dendoncker, Diego Carlos, Emiliano Buendia, Ashley Young, Sebastian Revan, Calum Chambers, Travis Patterson.

ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Matthew Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne; Boubcacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz; Leon Bailey, John McGinn (c), Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins.

Brighton are already guaranteed to finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League. Despite having little to play for, the Seagulls will be keen to keep their strong goalscoring record on the road intact, having scored in each of their last 13 Premier League away games.

A final-day victory for Villa would see them qualify for next season's Europa Conference League, their first appearance in European competition since 2010-11. After a phenomenal second half of the season under Unai Emery, the Villans will end their campaign with optimism no matter what happens here.

Hello and welcome to our live text commentary of this Premier League match between Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion at Villa Park.

Aston Villa v Brighton & Hove Albion Live Commentary, 28/05/2023

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