There are not many clubs in Europe, not to mention the Premier League, which can send players as talented as Ollie Watkins and Marco Asensio when things have to change.
However, Unai Emery has exactly these options on his bench and they helped transport Aston Villa another step towards a possible glory on three fronts. There are very few managers in the world at the moment who would not exchange their team with Emery.
After the Asensio loan star Marcus Rashford gave Villa the advance with his first championship goal for the club, the Spaniard scored his eighth in all competitions to win six consecutive victories for Emery’s men while his compatriot Sub Donyell Malen added a third time. They are also in the FA Cup semi-finals and face a quarter-final of the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain next week.
Villa has worked for a large part of the campaign, but they look at the business now, agree. This victory will make them believe that they can also qualify for the Champions League next season: the home shock on Saturday with Nottingham Forest will be another crucial chapter in this story.
After marking twice during the FA Cup victory in Preston, Marcus Rashford kept his place as a central attacking villa in front of Ollie Watkins. At first, it was too slow a fraction to react when Bart Verbruggen overturned the head of Ezri Konsa, allowing the goalkeeper to come together.
Villa then got closer when a gentle movement from the back and front allowed Lucas worth crossing the skipper recalled John McGinn, who did not reach the objective from eight meters. A few moments later, Rashford superbly collected the Lofted pass from Boubacar Kamara, but could not produce a finish to match.
Marcus Rashford roars with pleasure after scoring his first Premier League goal for Aston Villa
Rashford broke the dead end at 51 minutes with this finish against Brighton and Hove Albion
The striker, loaned by Man United, was congratulated by his Villa teammates
Joao Pedro provoked many problems at the Villa Backline, but the local team could not take advantage of it, because Simon Adingra and Kaoru Mitoma were wasted. At the other end, Matty Cash stolen just above and was then relieved not to concede a penalty when he seemed to embarrass Mitoma inside the box.
Brighton now found their rhythm. A few times earlier, Mitoma had set up Adingra for an effort of 20 yards which almost shone the post and, on Uny Emery, more and more agitated. The boss of the villa was not satisfied with the Albion chief, Fabian Hurzeler, wandering in front of his technical zone and made a gesture with force for the German to return.
Emery’s mood has not improved when Jack Hinshelwood, who had already been reserved, seemed to trip Jacob Ramsey. After a long Var check, referee Stuart Attwell was invited to stick to his original call.
If Villa was unlucky there, they got away with a just before half time. Yasin Ayari’s free kick judged the post and the rebound bounced on Ramsey’s arm. Again, no penalty, and Villa had almost the last word of half while Ramsey loaded the right and found an excellent cross. Like the rest of us, he must have wondered why neither Rashford nor Morgan Rogers were there to remove it.
If Rashford had not been on the heels at the start of the first half, he was right on the money at the start of the second half to give the head to Villa.
When a corner of Brighton was eliminated in Rogers, the attacker struck an exceptional long pass with his lower left foot to send Rashford to slip behind the albion back line.
With Verbruggen Back-Pedalling, Rashford has not yet finished, it was still enough to deceive the goalkeeper.
Marco Asensio (right) scored the second visitors with this finish on 78 minutes Wednesday
Asensio is booming with the Villians since he joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan
Donyell Malen (right) added a third deeply to the second half stoppage to fill the victory
The purpose of the Netherlands International helped Villa switch to seventh rank in the Premier League
Four minutes later, Albion thought they had leveled each other. Ayari’s cut pass struck Mitoma on the upper arm and while Martinez rushed forward, he palmmed directly in Adingra, who fought in the loose ball. With players on both sides pointing frantically different parts of their sleeves, Attwell was called to the instructor and decided that Mitoma’s intervention was both illegal and deliberate.
Villa sent Watkins and Asensio with Amadou Onana per hour and Asensio sealed her in an expert manner when the replacement Eiran Cashin lost Rogers and thatnsio delivered a fabulous first time when the cup arrived. Fortunately for visitors, he survived Var Check and Malen broke in the third at the end of the additional time. The villa season brings together the pace.
