Aston Villa Clinch Narrow Victory Over Brighton in Premier League Clash
In a tense midweek Premier League encounter at Villa Park, Aston Villa edged past Brighton & Hove Albion with a 1-0 win, thanks to a late own goal from Jack Hinshelwood. The match, played on February 11, 2026, saw both teams struggle to find rhythm, resulting in an underwhelming spectacle for fans.
Unai Emery's side failed to impress against the struggling Seagulls, who sit 14th in the league table. The game livened up slightly after a lacklustre first 60 minutes, with Brighton looking the likeliest to score. Ferdi Kadioglu came close with a 25-yard strike that was acrobatically tipped onto the crossbar by Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
However, Villa, known for finding ways to win this season, struck in the 86th minute. Tyrone Mings, celebrating his 200th appearance for the club, leapt highest to glance on a Leon Bailey corner. Mings celebrated wildly in front of the Holte End, but it was later confirmed that Hinshelwood had the decisive touch, resulting in an own goal.
Goalkeeper and Defence Ratings
Emiliano Martinez: Made a pivotal save to deny Kadioglu in the second half, tipping the long-range effort onto the crossbar. This moment felt match-winning, though he spilt a shot from James Milner, nearly allowing a rebound goal. Completed several outstanding drop-kicks. Rating: 8/10
Lamare Bogarde: Kept Kaoru Mitoma relatively quiet, with the Japan forward not at full fitness. Energised the Holte End with sublime sliding challenges. Rating: 7/10
Ezri Konsa: Had a decent game, keeping Danny Welbeck and Kostoulas at bay. Missed a first-half chance by heading over from a cross, but this did little to stain his performance. Rating: 7/10
Tyrone Mings: Thought he scored the winner on his milestone appearance, but it was ruled an own goal. His presence led to the goal, and he was strong in the air as usual. Rating: 7/10
Ian Maatsen: Looked like an upgrade at left-back, especially after Lucas Digne's recent performance. Stopped Gomez from having any real joy. Rating: 7/10
Midfield and Attack Ratings
Amadou Onana (on 74'): Had a mixed game, showing power to break up play but spending too much time on the ground in the first half. Took three poor long shots after fan encouragement. Rating: 6/10
Douglas Luiz (off 84'): Showed great anticipation for recoveries in midfield, disrupting Brighton's rhythm. However, was guilty of over-flair, giving away the ball twice while trying to skill out of trouble. Rating: 6/10
Emiliano Buendia (off 60'): Not at his vibrant best, struggling to make an impact in a dull first hour. Rating: 5/10
Jadon Sancho (off 60'): Successfully took on Kadioglu a couple of times but was tackled on others. Delivered good crosses in the opening half-hour. Rating: 6/10
Morgan Rogers: Got into brilliant positions between the lines, with powerful running through the middle. Crucially got Baleba booked early, changing Brighton's game plan, but was carded himself for pulling back Mitoma. Rating: 7/10
Ollie Watkins (on 74'): Gave the ball away cheaply in the first half with overly cute hold-up play. Had no notable chances. Rating: 5/10
Substitutes Ratings
Ross Barkley (on 60'): Enjoyed a strong cameo, nearly scoring in stoppage time with a thunderous shot wide from the edge of the area. Rating: 7/10
Leon Bailey (on 60'): Unable to impress one-on-one, but his corner led to the only goal, providing a confidence booster. Rating: 7/10
Alysson (on 74'): Had bright moments on his Villa debut, reaching the byline once and cutting back dangerously for Rogers. Rating: 6/10
Tammy Abraham (on 74'): Starved of service like Watkins, but didn't do much to help himself. Rating: 6/10
Victor Lindelof (on 84'): Gave Onana respite in midfield but wasn't on long enough to make a proper impact. Rating: N/A
The victory keeps Villa in contention in the Premier League, highlighting their resilience despite a lacklustre performance. Player ratings show a standout 8/10 for Martinez, with three players receiving 5s, reflecting the team's mixed display.
