Matt Maher analyses Aston Villa's convincing victory at Brighton

Express & Star

Matt Maher gives his take on Aston Villa's 3-0 win at Brighton. Villa put in a devastating display on the break, with the goals from Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen.

Transcript

00:00Good evening from Brighton where Aston Villa have secured one of the biggest

00:04wins of the season so far in the Premier League. A 3-0 victory over the

00:09Seagulls, sent them above them in the table up to seventh, just a couple of

00:13points outside of fifth position which will probably be enough, fifth position

00:17will probably be enough for a spot in the Champions League this season and

00:21another result, probably the biggest result so far that has suggested that

00:24everything is coming together for Villa at the right time. Three of their signings

00:29in the recent transfer window scored. Marcus Rashford scored again, three goals

00:34in two games, got the ball rolling six minutes into the second half. Marco

00:38Asensio then came off the bench to make it 2-0 and Daniel Marlon then scored

00:44his first Villa goal with the last kick of the game. A 3-0 win, five clean

00:49sheets now in six matches for Villa. Pao Torres started at centre-back for

00:55the first time since suffering a broken foot against Brighton at Villa Park in

01:00December and John McGinn also came back into the team but it was

01:06the players that Villa could bring off the bench that was notable as well in

01:09the second half. They brought on Amadou Anana, they brought on Asensio, they

01:14brought on Olly Watkins who now finds himself on the bench and having been

01:18behind or lost his place to John Duran earlier in the season, he's now got

01:22Marcus Rashford in front of him at centre-forward. That was the

01:25interesting thing that Unai Emerick said afterwards, basically said that

01:28Rashford is now competing with Watkins to play at centre-forward and at the

01:32minute he seems to have the nod. Obviously scored two goals at Preston

01:36on Sunday in the FA Cup and then another goal tonight. In truth, Villa

01:43rode their luck a bit in the first half. A fantastic save by Emi Martinez

01:47tipping the free-kick onto the post and then a couple of VAR calls.

01:53Villa should have had a penalty for the VAR, well the penalty that the VAR

01:59didn't give should have been given and in the second half you know they

02:03got the rub of the green with the VAR calls. Karim Matoma, a judge to have

02:07handled correctly but the VAR took ages tonight, just took absolutely so much

02:11time out of the game. But Villa held their nerve, they just had more strength

02:16in-depth than Brighton and then again it just feels like everything is kind of

02:19coming together for them, just at the right moment. Another big game against

02:23Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Forest have obviously had

02:28another extra day's rest but for Villa, I mean they've just suddenly got the

02:32strength in-depth haven't they and you know with eight games to go in

02:35the Premier League, Champions League still to come, FA Cup. I can see the

02:40finish line, mentality seems to have changed, the mood seems to have lifted. Six wins in

02:44a row in all competitions, it's all good at the minute.

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