Ollie Watkins ended his 11-game goal drought with a first-half brace as Aston Villa produced a stunning comeback from two goals down to defeat Brighton & Hove Albion 4-3 in a breathless Premier League encounter at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday, 3rd December 2025.
Seagulls Fly Into Early Lead
The match began in dramatic fashion for the home side. Brighton took a controversial ninth-minute lead when a corner was incorrectly awarded after the ball went out off Villa's Maxim De Cuyper. Villa's stand-in goalkeeper, Marco Bizot, who started after Emiliano Martinez withdrew in the warm-up, flapped at the delivery, allowing Jan Paul van Hecke to prod home.
Brighton, with Lewis Dunk making his 500th appearance for the club, doubled their advantage before the half-hour mark. Substitute Jack Hinshelwood, on for the injured Stefanos Tzimas, burst down the left and his low cross was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Pau Torres.
Watkins Inspires Villa Fightback
With Villa's top-four ambitions under threat, Ollie Watkins sparked the revival. The England striker, who had scored just once in 19 appearances this season before kick-off, halved the deficit in the 37th minute, sliding in to convert Ian Maatsen's low cross.
The visitors then drew level in a chaotic period of first-half stoppage time. After Brighton's Brajan Gruda wasted a chance at one end, Villa broke swiftly. Watkins raced onto a searching Morgan Rogers pass and fired a superb finish beyond Bart Verbruggen to make it 2-2 and score his ninth career goal against Albion.
Onana and Malen Seal Dramatic Victory
Unai Emery's in-form side completed the turnaround on the hour mark. Matty Cash delivered another dangerous corner and Amadou Onana rose highest at the back post to power a header home, sending the travelling fans into raptures.
Villa extended their lead with 12 minutes remaining. Substitute Donyell Malen made an instant impact, scuffing home the rebound after Verbruggen saved Evann Guessand's header. Van Hecke swept home his second of the night to set up a tense finale, but Villa held on after Bizot superbly denied Danny Welbeck's late header.
The result means Aston Villa secured their eighth win in nine Premier League matches, inflicting Brighton's first home defeat of the season. The victory, a sixth in a row in all competitions, cements Villa's status as the Premier League's comeback kings and keeps them firmly in the hunt for a Champions League place.
