Late goals against Brighton get Steven Gerrard off to perfect start at Aston Villa

With six minutes to play, Ollie Watkins lashed a shot into the far corner to give Aston Villa lift-off and the touchline turned into Steven Gerrard’s runway. He jubilantly jumped into the arms of the technical coach, Tom Culshaw, part of his entourage from Rangers, raced clear of his technical area and swivelled towards the Trinity Road Stand before repeatedly punching the air with both fists.

Gerrard’s last act in the Premier League had been scoring for Liverpool in a thrashing at Stoke six years ago but, for a moment, it was almost as if he had never been away.

Things got even better too, Tyrone Mings firing in from close range to seal victory and end Villa’s five-match losing streak.

Gerrard set off again following Mings’s 89th-minute strike, this time towards the Brighton technical area before, sensibly, halting his run. At that point, it was pure pandemonium in the home dugout and beyond. A synchronised Holte End made their joy known and before leaving the field Gerrard, together with his players, made a point of going over to thank them for their support.

“They are the buzzes and the highs you certainly miss as a player,” Gerrard said of the late goals. “That is why I wanted to stay in the game. That is my medicine, if you like. I love seeing the players happy and smiling.”

This victory over Brighton meant Gerrard became the first Villa manager since Gerard Houllier, his former manager at Liverpool, to win their first league game in charge. The pitchside cameras were trained on Gerrard’s every move and outside the ground, before a sellout crowd flooded through the turnstiles, his name was on the lips of supporters, his face plastered on to a sign on Trinity Road – the most explicit example of Gerrard fever. He did not take charge of his first training session until Monday and some players, such as the Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, did not return home until later in the week but, regardless, Gerrard promised his team would be aggressive.

His entrance was decidedly more low-key, striding out of the tunnel in a black trenchcoat and high-fiving a young fan before subtly applauding all corners. Then, hands in pockets, he allowed himself the briefest of moments to survey the scene after shaking hands with Graham Potter, taking charge of his 100th Brighton game. Gerrard said his stomach had been “doing somersaults” in anticipation of taking charge of his first game here and the mood among supporters was similar. Brighton did an impressive job of muting the atmosphere and Martinez saved well to deny Leandro Trossard.

Villa teased patches of quality – Matty Cash and Jacob Ramsey both attacked with thrust – but were too often clumsy in possession. Brighton were anything but, a delicious cross by Marc Cucurella eluding Trossard at the end of a slick move that began 70 yards away with Shane Duffy, and into two minutes of first-half stoppage time, Tariq Lamptey saw an effort blocked by Martinez. Danny Ings was guilty of failing to make the most of Villa’s best first-half opening but they finished strong. The same cannot be said for Brighton who, despite the clamour surrounding Potter, are winless in eight. “I didn’t feel we were really under any danger until they scored,” Potter said. “We gave ourselves a chance to win the game but ultimately we didn’t score.”

Brighton appeared most likely to strike late but the Villa substitutes Ashley Young, with whom Gerrard played for England, Leon Bailey and Anwar El Ghazi provided some welcome impetus after Potter’s side had subdued the hosts.

Bailey’s high cross troubled Jason Steele, the Brighton goalkeeper who unconvincingly punched clear to John McGinn but the Villa midfielder, seemingly caught in two minds, dawdled and allowed Webster to rake the ball away from danger. But six minutes from time Watkins got Gerrard’s Villa up and running, sending a rasping shot into the net and then Mings, in the right place at the right time after Adam Webster’s clearance, wrapped up victory

Off Gerrard went again, bundling down the sidelines in his brogues. “You should see me in staff games, five v five or six v six,” he smiled. “I want to win. I’m a competitor. I want to at times show emotion and I’ll always be as authentic as I can. If anyone doubted what it meant to me to be in this position, just watch me after those goals. Inside me is what was inside me as a player, that will to win, that drive and energy. I will always be authentic.”

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*BBC Sport*
Saturday, 20 November 2021

Ollie Watkins and Tyrone Mings scored in the final six minutes as Steven Gerrard enjoyed a memorable first match as Aston Villa manager with victory over Brighton.

Gerrard’s bow as a Premier League boss looked set to end in a goalless stalemate until his side broke from an 84th-minute Brighton corner.

Villa went the full length of the field as substitute Ashley Young sent Watkins running down the left wing, with the England forward cutting inside the box before delivering a smart finish beyond Jason Steele.

A minute from time, the hosts got their second as Adam Webster’s attempt to clear John McGinn’s cross went straight to Mings, who finished at the first attempt.

Villa might have had a third but Steele did well to deny Leon Bailey in stoppage time.

The victory ended a run of five straight defeats for Villa, with Gerrard taking applause from all sides of the ground before running down the tunnel in obvious delight.

Gerrard’s joy

After taking the applause of the home fans as he made his way to the dugout, it didn’t take Gerrard long to be claiming for every free-kick, booking or penalty that it was possible for his side to get in a first half of limited chances.

It is fairly obvious to say Villa have no-one in their squad who could come close to a favourable comparison to their new manager in his playing pomp.

They do have some useful performers though, in new Poland international Matty Cash, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and skipper Mings. But they looked limited in the final third.

Until the sensational ending, their best chances came from headers by Cash and Mings, which Premier League debutant Steele made brave saves to repel.

Villa’s club record £33m signing Emiliano Buendia was again a muted force and it was no real surprise when he was replaced by Young for the final 16 minutes.

What this club does have - and the attraction for Gerrard - is a massive fanbase and a great history. ‘Iconic’, was the word Gerrard used in his programme notes.

And by the time the final whistle went, Villa Park was a cauldron of noise as the home fans celebrated their first win since September.

Blunt Brighton

Amid the noise around Dean Smith’s exit and Gerrard’s appointment, it had almost been overlooked that Brighton’s excellent start to the season has now given way to a run of seven games without a win in all competitions, their worst run in almost a year.

Graham Potter’s side retain the confidence to keep possession and maintain their patience as they look for openings but they still find a killer touch elusive.

After Villa’s initial thrusts the Seagulls controlled long periods of the game, denying the hosts any time on the ball while they enjoyed plenty of it, albeit in areas of the field that were not of any particular danger.

Martinez, fresh from keeping the clean sheet against Brazil that secured World Cup qualification for Argentina, made the two most notable saves, beating away an angled Leandro Trossard drive before spreading himself to deny Tariq Lamptey.

Lamptey is slowly returning to form after injury but despite the promptings of Adam Lallana and Yves Bissouma from midfield, once Villa broke the deadlock, there was never any realistic hope of an equaliser.