Aston Villa come back from 2-0 down to beat Brighton 4-3 in seven-goal thriller

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery, speaking to BBC MOTD: “A very tough match. How we started and reacted is more like the season. The players reacted and continued with our game plan to never give up. We kept the mentality and the resilience, really fantastic.

“Our first three matches were much worse. The first goal was not a corner, I think. We conceded and then we were expecting a lot in the

“We reacted to scoring one goal and we started the game plan and they followed it. We are so thankful for the supporters- 4,000 of them with us here from Birmingham.”

On Watkins: “Keep going. He needs those goals, he needs calm. He needs to keep going and get balance and he got it.

“Marco is a very, very good goalkeeper. he is always ready to play like today. Martinez was not ready to play and had some pain in his back. Marco is ready and he saved us with one good save in the 90th minute.

“The table is very important for us. We know how difficult it is. We needed to work hard and perform. We will play on Saturday against Arsenal at home. The teams behind us are going to push a lot. Be humble because we know how difficult it is to face teams in the Premier League.”

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, speaking to Sky Sports: “There are small margins that made the difference. it’s about how you react and two set-pieces made the difference. These are the small margins. Overall we saw a team that never gave up and had the belief to win this game.

“Overall we defended it quite well in the season so far. It’s not easy to defend set-pieces. The blocking of the goalkeeper, we still don’t have a clear rule for that.

“It’s not easy to concede goals and we want to react. We have to challenge adversity we face in the game and we have to be better.

“It was a matter of small margins. They scored in the second half after two set pieces and that’s the difference. We have to do better and keep improving.”

On Danny Welbeck: “He’s not able to play more minutes today. Of course we want to bring a striker on. This team is much more mature now.

“You want to defend set-pieces better but we have to analyse the game. It was on the edge and Villa won it, we lost. We have to accept.”

Hurzeler, speaking to BBC MOTD: “The small margins decided the game and they weren’t in our direction. A game takes 90 minutes and that’s what we have to do better. Thirty minutes is not enough.

‘We conceded two goals but we were still there. We had another chance, a big chance.

“We never gave up and that’s positive. We can fight these kind of battles but it’s about doing the small margins right.”

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins speaking to Sky Sports: “I think since the managers come in, I’ve scored a lot of goals, and got assists. Always find myself playing regularly in the team.

“So to go a prolonged period without scoring and doing that, it does affect you. It has been hard, but you have to just keep picking yourself up, turning up every day, and working hard.

“You get your rewards in the end and and now I can put that behind me and keep looking forward. We’re in an amazing place. Even though I wasn’t scoring, I looked at the bigger picture where we’re further in the league.

“Winning every week, what isn’t there to love, really? So if I can add goals, it gets even better.”

Here’s how fans reacted as Aston Villa come back from 2-0 down to beat Brighton 4-3 in a seven-goal thriller…

@b_z_p1: Unbelievable to do what we just did against these when their home form is so strong. Special. My favourite performance of the season so far. Unbelievable after 30mins. This team is special. So much grit. So much mentality. Incredible.

@KingEightyOne:
Watkins on the score sheet ✅
Coming from behind ✅
Scoring in the box ✅
Nice to win again but crazy to say we havent been playing particularly well and I dont think we have actually hit form yet!!!
The roof will come off if we start to play to our best! 💜💙 #avfc #utv

@Gwcynon: Might get grief 🙈 but that win from 2 down is king unais best win as manager . Most epl teams will fold after 30 mins there but not this mob

@OP4C: Easily Villas best win of the season. Especially considering Unai is managing the minutes of some of our biggest hitters so he can sabotage Arsenal’s title charge on Saturday! #AVFC

@SummAVFC: Overcame the 12 men. There isn’t enough words in the dictionary to describe that ref’s performance. Similar to the Leeds game the character now of this team is solid and each of them fought for that win. UTFV 🟣🔵

@FrankTa16783266: Massive, MASSIVE win. Watkins MOTM. Bogarde always delivers off the bench too. Lads incredible

@Dai_Teague: Fook yes. Happy with the comeback. Happy for Ollie, but a little annoyed that we let them come back into it, but ultimately who cares. Great win UTV.

@Optimus_Chong: Believes that if I watch Villa play they will loose. Watches first 30 minutes of game, go down 2-0. Turns off game…. Checks score. Villa up 3-2. I will do what I must to make sure my team always wins Never watching a live Villa game again. #AVFC