Brighton vs Aston Villa LIVE: Premier League result and final score after late Joao Pedro winner
Brighton 1-0 Aston Villa: The hosts ended a six-game winless run to stall Villa’s top-four hopes
Brighton snapped a six-match winless run in the Premier League when they beat Aston Villa 1-0 at home after Joao Pedro scored an 87th-minute winner in a scrappy affair.
Simon Adingra had been Brighton’s busiest player throughout the game and it was his foray into the box late in the second half which drew a foul from Villa full back Ezri Konsa which forced the referee to point to the spot.
Villa’s stand-in keeper Robin Olsen had made several saves to keep his side in the game and even denied Joao Pedro from the spot, but he could do nothing when the Brazilian headed home the rebound for his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.
The result moved Brighton up to 11th place with 47 points while Villa are fourth with 67 points as they continue to wait to seal a spot in next season’s Champions League with fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur still in the hunt.
Follow the latest action from the Premier League below.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
The players are out on the pitch, and kick-off in this Premier League contest is now just moments away!
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
Also making three changes to the starting XI from their last Premier League fixture, Aston Villa are once more without undisputed number one Emi Martinez due to injury. Olsen again deputises for the Argentinian goalkeeper, while Diaby and Diego Carlos replace Cash and Tielemans. Like their hosts, Villa's absence list is long, with Tielemans now joining others including Tyrone Mings, Boubacar Kamara and Jacob Ramsey.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
De Zerbi makes three changes to the side that started in Bournemouth last week, as the more experienced trio of Veltman, Webster and Welbeck come in for Offiah, Barco and O'Mahony. Solly March, Evan Ferguson, Kaoru Mitoma, Pervis Estupinan and Tariq Lamptey are among several players consigned to Brighton's crowded treatment room.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
SUBS: Joe Gauci, Matty Cash, Alex Moreno, Calum Chambers, Clement Lenglet, Jhon Duran, Kaine Kesler-Hayden, Tim Iroegbunam, Omari Kellyman.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
ASTON VILLA (4-4-2): Robin Olsen; Ezri Konsa, Diego Carlos, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne; Leon Bailey, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn, Morgan Rogers; Moussa Diaby, Ollie Watkins.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
SUBS: Jason Steele, Julio Enciso, Jakub Moder, Valentin Barco, Carlos Baleba, Ansu Fati, Odeluga Offiah, Cameron Peupion, Mark O’Mahony.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
BRIGHTON (3-4-3): Bart Verbruggen; Joel Veltman, Igor, Lewis Dunk; Adam Webster, Facundo Buonanotte, Billy Gilmour, Pascal Gross; Joao Pedro, Danny Welbeck, Simon Adingra.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa could seal Champions League qualification today, should results go their way over the next few hours. Despite fumbling a two-goal lead in last week's game against Chelsea, Villa hold a seven-point lead over fifth-placed Tottenham - who have one game in hand - so they will be assured of a cherished top-four finish with victory at the Amex if Spurs lose to Liverpool later on. The Villans now return to domestic duty after slipping up in the first leg of their Europa Conference League semi-final: serial Europa League winner Unai Emery oversaw a shock 4-2 defeat to Olympiacos at Villa Park on Thursday.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
Since beating Roma en route to Europa League elimination in March, Brighton have claimed just two points from six games in the Premier League, and goals have dramatically dried up. The Seagulls have found the net only two times during that time, with their latest setback a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth last week. Roberto De Zerbi's side now occupy 13th place in the table, and hopes of returning to European competition are effectively over. They were thumped 6-1 at Villa Park earlier this season - their fifth straight league loss to today's visitors.
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