Brighton & Hove Albion 3-4 Aston Villa: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Brighton & Hove Albion 3-4 Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday, 03 December 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Aston Villa edged out Brighton & Hove Albion with a 4-3 victory in a thrilling encounter at the Amex Stadium. Brighton took an early lead when Jan Paul van Hecke headed home in the 9th minute, assisted by Mats Wieffer, and they doubled their advantage through Pau Torres’ own goal in the 29th. Aston Villa fought back before the break, with Ollie Watkins pulling one back in the 37th minute, assisted by Evann Guessand, and then levelling the score with another from Watkins in the 45+7th minute, set up by Morgan Rogers. Coming off a run of three wins and a draw in their last four league games, Brighton looked sharp initially but couldn’t maintain their momentum.

In the second half, Aston Villa took control as Amadou Onana scored in the 60th minute, assisted by Matty Cash, before substitute Donyell Malen extended the lead to 4-2 in the 78th. Brighton pulled one back late through Jan Paul van Hecke’s second goal in the 83rd minute, assisted by Jack Hinshelwood, but it wasn’t enough to salvage a point. Villa’s win extends their impressive recent form, having secured four straight league victories before this, while Brighton’s defeat halts a streak that included back-to-back wins against Nottingham Forest and Brentford.

Brighton held a slight edge in possession at 56% compared to Villa’s 44%, suggesting they controlled more of the ball, but Villa made better use of their opportunities with more successful dribbles at 55 to Brighton’s 52, indicating sharper counter-attacking play. Corners were close, with Villa earning 6 to Brighton’s 5, while both sides picked up two yellow cards each, reflecting a competitive but not overly heated contest. Villa recorded three assists to Brighton’s two, underlining their efficiency in creating goals, and they used all five substitutions compared to Brighton’s four, which helped maintain their energy late on – for instance, Donyell Malen came on for John McGinn at 77 minutes and scored soon after.

The game burst into life early with Jan Paul van Hecke’s 9th-minute goal for Brighton, but Pau Torres’ own goal in the 29th handed them a 2-0 lead. Villa turned it around before half-time through Ollie Watkins’ brace in the 37th and 45+7th minutes, shifting momentum decisively. After the break, Amadou Onana’s 60th-minute strike put Villa ahead, and Donyell Malen’s goal in the 78th, just a minute after substituting for John McGinn, seemed to seal it, though van Hecke’s 83rd-minute effort made for a tense finish; yellow cards were shown to Bart Verbruggen for time-wasting in the 45+9th, Diego Gómez for a foul in the 85th, John McGinn for dissent in the 75th, and Marco Bizot late on in the 90+5th.

Brighton & Hove Albion lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Jan Paul van Hecke proving a key figure at the back by scoring twice, while Mats Wieffer and Jack Hinshelwood provided assists in midfield partnerships that helped build attacks. Carlos Baleba started in the engine room before making way for Joël Veltman at 78 minutes, and Ferdi Kadıoğlu was replaced by Danny Welbeck at 67 minutes to add experience up front.

Aston Villa deployed a 4-2-3-1 shape, relying on Ollie Watkins as the focal point in attack where he netted twice, supported by assists from Evann Guessand and Morgan Rogers in creative roles. Amadou Onana anchored midfield and scored, while substitutions like Donyell Malen for John McGinn at 77 minutes brought fresh legs and a goal, and Matty Cash set up Onana effectively from the right.

Ladbrokes’ Man of the Match goes to Ollie Watkins for his clinical finishing, bagging two goals that turned the game around for Aston Villa. He also created one big chance and delivered two key passes, showcasing his all-round threat in attack.

Recent Premier League matches:

• Loss: 3-4 vs Aston Villa (H)
• Win: 2-0 vs Nottingham Forest (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Brentford (H)
• Draw: 0-0 vs Crystal Palace (A)
• Win: 3-0 vs Leeds United (H)

Recent Premier League matches:

• Win: 4-3 vs Brighton & Hove Albion (A)
• Win: 1-0 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Leeds United (A)
• Win: 4-0 vs AFC Bournemouth (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Liverpool (A)

Brighton & Hove Albion have just suffered a 3-4 home defeat to Aston Villa, ending a solid run that included wins over Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Leeds United, plus a draw with Crystal Palace. Sitting seventh on 22 points, they face West Ham United next on 7 December at 14:00, with the opposition languishing in 18th on 11 points – a win could help Brighton push for European spots while easing any mid-table concerns.

Aston Villa have just claimed a 4-3 away win over Brighton & Hove Albion, building on a strong streak of victories against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United and AFC Bournemouth, despite an earlier loss to Liverpool. Currently third on 27 points, they host league leaders Arsenal, who are first on 33 points, on 6 December at 12:30 – this clash offers a chance to close the gap at the top and solidify their title challenge.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.