Aston Villa edged past Brighton and Hove Albion 1-0 thanks to a late Jack Hinshelwood own goal, as Unai Emery's side returned to winning ways at Villa Park in a tight Premier League contest. The decisive moment came in the 86th minute when Tyrone Mings' header from a corner deflected off Hinshelwood and flew beyond the Brighton goalkeeper, finally breaking the deadlock on a tense evening under the lights.
Until that late twist, the game had offered little in the way of clear chances, with Villa struggling to create and Brighton looking the more likely to strike first through Ferdi Kadioglu. His effort, brilliantly tipped onto the bar by Emiliano Martinez, was the standout opportunity before the own goal. It felt a little harsh on Fabian Hurzeler, under pressure after a defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday, but after two consecutive Premier League home losses, it was Emery who departed smiling as Villa moved five points clear of fourth-placed Manchester United.
Cagey Contest With Few Clear Openings
From the outset, this was a match defined more by tension than by attacking fluency. Both sides were aware of the stakes: Villa seeking to halt a worrying run of home defeats and Brighton attempting to steady themselves after their reverse against Crystal Palace. That context fed into a cautious pattern, with neither team willing to overcommit bodies forward and risk being caught out.