Pre-Match predictions:

"I think this might be a draw, we’ve got two good managers and two good teams and I think it’ll be a nice game of football but I’m not sure there will be that many chances somehow."

Former Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenson shows his football knowledge and insight continues to confound.


"The pitch is massive at Villa Park and I think that'll suit the way Brighton play. I think this will be an entertaining, open game of football of football with a lot of goals, so I'm going for a 2-2 draw.

Former Villain Paul Merson, though you wouldn’t know it, at least spots the obvious likelihood of goals.


"I still think there will be goals, because I am expecting Brighton to take their chances, but Villa are a well-balanced team and they should get something here. 2-2”

Former Villain Chris Sutton, though you wouldn’t know it, at least spots the obvious likelihood of goals.


"I really can’t separate them, they’ll be goals though, Brighton haven’t kept a clean sheet all season. 2-2”

Harry Redknapp, serial manager, at least spots the obvious likelihood of goals.


“The game against Everton was an opportunity for a little bit of rotation. But when they go to face Brighton, they’re one of the teams that are playing at a high, high standard.

“It doesn’t matter where Brighton go, home or away, they play the exact same way and he’s [Roberto De Zerbi] still got them firing on all cylinders, so it’s going to be difficult.

“I think that will be a game where Emery should field his strongest team for a top, top performance at home. The crowd will demand it.

“That could be a real interesting game. I think it’s two teams that will really go for it so it wouldn’t surprise me if it was a high-scoring game.”

Former Villain Alan Hutton, and you’d never doubt it, calls it spot on.

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"I think he is very happy here and we are very happy with him. He is improving here and he is taking his proper objective as well with the club and with his teammates.

"Today was a very good example of the consequences of how he is committed with his teammates and how he is trying to be demanding to learn every day. Today was a very good match for him. The team helped him but he played and he did very good work, scoring goals and working defensively as well to help the team.

"I think he is going to deserve to go there [England duty] and playing matches like today.

"I think he is closer to go there. I am very happy with him and I want to work with him. I won today with him.

“I told him that goals are a consequence of his work every day.

“His commitment with the work tactically we to do, not only in the attacking third, but also defending. His behaviour is really, really amazing.

“Then, he has the quality, depending on the match, some more than the other, when we have to attack. Today he played an amazing match and we helped him to get balls in the box. Today his finishing was amazing. We are working with him individually and he wants always to work more than we are trying to do with him!

“We created a lot of chances and he was there to score. As well, he had other chances, when Douglas Luiz scored, man to man with the goalkeeper. He will need to have a lot of chances and he is going to be clinical, sometimes more, sometimes less.

“It’s important he continues what he is doing. He had three very good chances at Burnley, but he didn’t score because the goalkeeper saved. I told him, keep being the same, keep doing the same, keep being there and you are going to have chances to score. The goals are coming.”

Unai Emery on Ollie Watkins.

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"This is a demanding place to play.

"They [fans] let you know if you're not playing well.

"I think the manager is actually educating the supporters a bit because here, they're used to attacking when we get the ball but now, he's asked for them to be a bit more patient. There's been times where we bought the fans to tears but when we go, we go and thankfully this place has proved to be a fortress and a great place to play.

"Hopefully we can disrupt that top-four, top-six, it's not going to be easy, but why not? Why can't we challenge them and do what Newcastle did last season?

"Tottenham haven't got mid-week games, Chelsea haven't got mid-week games. It's not going to be easy, it's going to be really tough but we need to treat every game like today.

"[Unai Emery's] completely transformed us and it's just a pleasure to work under him. We were unhappy with how we started the season, the points showed that.

"I think today, it proves it that it's not a bad start to the season as we thought."

John McGinn.

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“We have to feel here in Villa Park always every match we are playing something special. We have to create a positive energy between the supporters and us. We have a responsibility on the pitch to do a game plan and to work connecting with them and it was really today as well I think again a very good experience playing here with our supporters.

“Yes [our game plan was to be more direct] but our game plan was to try to avoid the duels. Try to avoid their defence against us finding the players. We can fight against them man to man, and when they did that we tried to avoid the first build-up, playing with the players who are close to the goalkeeper. We did fantastic with Watkins fighting with the defence, Moussa Diaby and John McGinn. When we needed to play to keep the ball and build more, we did it as well.

“We have to be very demanding. You knew before the match, we won a very amazing match in Chelsea being very competitive, but today we were thinking it would be a very difficult match we were going to play. We needed different tactical work, a different game plan and we showed it.

"Next week at Wolverhampton against Wolves it is going to be very, very difficult. Maybe it is going to demand other things and we have to be every day trying to improve, demanding with the analysis and each match is going to demand different things and a different response. We have to be strong in our work every day to be successful.

"They are three points, no more. We won against Crystal Palace here, which was difficult and we have to be reminded of it. We lost on Wednesday against Everton here. We won today, but each match is going to be different and will demand from us a different response. We have to be demanding and not relaxing to achieve the objective we are going to face.

"We want to compete the same at home and away. We will need to try and be consistent playing at home and away. At home we are feeling strong with our supporters and the atmosphere we are creating, with the energy we are trying to transmit. We are feeling here really strong, but we have to take control of the game away the same at home. I am happy being at home with our supporters, winning a lot of matches in a row. Each match has been a great challenge.

"Zaniolo as a person is very easy to talk with him, to work with him. His behaviour and commitment with us from the first day was very good. His adaptation is going very well, and then he is playing well.

"He was playing more on the right, but now we needed him playing left side, he was available and he was really, really feeling good as well playing and helping there. I am going to use him in different positions and I am really happy with him.

“I think he (Diaby) has some pain, but I don’t think it’s relevant for the next games. Kamara as well, hopefully not important. We think it’s not important but we will check it.

“Again, super John McGinn! John McGinn is very consistent. Sometimes his performances is very high level, sometimes it’s medium level, but he’s always important. He’s always available and he is a very, very competitive man. He is always trying to help the team in the different positions we need to put him.”

Unai Emery.

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"I’m very happy. I think we feel a very good connection with our supporters every match – today we showed it. Defensively and offensively, we’re trying to keep it consistent over 90 minutes [but] these three points for the table are very important.

"Of course, when you’re winning matches in a row you feel confidence, but you still have to win again and again. That’s what we’re trying to do.

"Today we needed to adapt to them, but when we had time to keep possession we did that as well. When we scored the second, third and fourth goals, we were feeling very comfortable.

"We beat Chelsea and lost here to Everton [in the Carabao Cup]. We’re trying to feel more and more comfortable. The Premier League and Europe is very important for us."

"His [Ollie Watkins’] goals are coming because he is working every day, trying to learn and trying to take responsibility. It’s amazing for him, but it’s amazing for his team-mates and the club.

"For him, today was very important. We created a lot of chances and he was there to score. He’s sometimes more, sometimes less clinical. He had three very good chances in Burnley but he didn’t score because the goalkeeper made saves. I told him he will score [eventually]."

Unai Emery.

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"People keep calling it a sleeping giant.

”[They have] the stadium, the history, the fanbase. Now they believe in their manager. It's an exciting time."

Peter Crouch.

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"It's a great result against a top team in Brighton. They’re where they are in the league because they play such good football.

"It’s definitely not going to be my last [hat-trick]. It’s an unbelievable feeling to score. When I don’t score I’m annoyed, which is why I work hard every day in training.

"It's an unbelievable feeling.

"Every game I want to score and hurt the defence and it worked today. Collectively, we were second to none."

"When I’ve got grass in front of me, I like to run into it. Moussa [Diaby] is so quick, so on the transition I definitely think we’re dangerous.

"We’ve got a style of play now that [allows us to] take control of the game. We’ve definitely got a few strings to our bow."

I want to perform and score every game. There have been a few times this season when I have been disappointed and there is always a chance to put it right.

"I am going to enjoy it today."

Ollie Watkins.

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"I think we feel a very good connection with our supporters, and today we showed that.

"Of course, when you're winning [multiple] games in a row you feel confidence, but you still have to win again and again. That's what we're trying to do."

Unai Emery.

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"We played a very bad game, without energy, [without] mental energy.”

The biggest responsibility is mine because I am coach.

"We have to adapt this season. It is totally different to last season. It is very tough, we’re playing every three days.

"We want to compete in every competition and we have to show if we are ready or not. When you play like today, the responsibility is with the coach.

"I have great guys, great people inside the dressing room. We reached this level [by] pushing [and] pushing, but we are not there yet. We are reaching the right level to compete this season because we want to give satisfaction to our fans.

"There wasn’t any battle today. Aston Villa are a very good team, they have a great coach and players. This was not the true Brighton."

Roberto De Zerbi reads out of the managerial book of excuses.

@Roberto:

A reminder of the last 5 meetings:

Villa 6-1 Brighton;
Villa 2-1 Brighton;
Villa 2-1 Brighton;
Villa 2-0 Brighton;
Villa 2-0 Brighton.

The true Brighton?

A reminder of Villa’s last 5 games:

Saturday 16th September
Thursday 21st September
Sunday 24th September
Wednesday 27th September
Saturday 30th September

A reminder of Brighton’s last 5 games:

Saturday 16th September
Thursday 21st September
Sunday 24th September
Wednesday 27th September
Saturday 30th September

A reminder of Villa’s squad:

33 players

Injuries:
W Emiliano Buendía | 🇦🇷 |
M Tim Iroegbunam | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
CB Tyrone Mings | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
LB Álex Moreno | 🇪🇸 |
W Leon Bailey | 🇯🇲 |

A reminder of Brighton’s squad:

38 players

Injuries:
F Julio Enciso | 🇵🇾 |
M James Milner | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
M Pascal Groß | 🇩🇪 |
M Adam Lallana | 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 |
M Jakub Moder | 🇵🇱 |