Aston Villa hit back to beat Brighton in seven-goal thriller

Ollie Watkins ended an 11-game goal drought with a first-half brace as high-flying Aston Villa overturned a two-goal deficit to beat Brighton 4-3 at the Amex Stadium.

Jan Paul van Hecke’s close-range finish and a Pau Torres own goal put the Seagulls on course to leapfrog Villa in the Premier League table.

But England international Watkins, who ahead of kick-off had struck once in 19 appearances this term, levelled with his eighth and ninth career goals against Albion, before Amadou Onana and substitute Donyell Malen completed the turnaround.

Seagulls centre-back Van Hecke set up a tense finale by claiming his second of the evening seven minutes from time.

However, Unai Emery’s in-form side held on for an eighth victory in nine top-flight outings to inflict Brighton’s first home defeat of the season.

Marco Bizot started in Villa’s goal as part of five changes after Emiliano Martinez withdrew during the warm-up, while Lewis Dunk made his 500th Albion appearance in a home team showing three alterations.

Dutchman Bizot was at fault as Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts snatched a ninth-minute lead in controversial fashion.

After the Seagulls were incorrectly awarded a corner when the ball went behind off the head of Maxim De Cuyper, Villa’s stand-in keeper flapped at Ferdi Kadioglu’s inswinging delivery from the left, allowing Van Hecke to prod home at the back post.

Villa forward Watkins wasted a good chance to equalise in the 28th minute before Brighton doubled their advantage moments later.

Seagulls substitute Jack Hinshelwood – an early replacement for the injured Stefanos Tzimas – burst down the left following a neat one-two with Brajan Gruda, with his attempted low cross diverted in by the legs of the unfortunate Torres.

Brighton had gone 10 home games unbeaten since losing 3-0 to Villa in early April but saw their lead halved in the 37th minute.

Ian Maatsen, who minutes earlier had a penalty appeal waved away after going down under a challenge from Carlos Baleba, escaped Mats Wieffer down the left to deliver a low centre which was turned home by the sliding Watkins.

Emery’s men equalised seven minutes into added time during a chaotic ending to the half.

The visitors appealed in vain for a penalty after Ezri Konsa’s header from a Matty Cash corner struck the left post and appeared to strike the arm of Hinshelwood.

Gruda then fired wastefully at Bizot at the other end as Brighton broke with purpose before the hosts were sucker-punched on the counter attack when Watkins raced on to Morgan Rogers’ searching pass to rifle beyond Bart Verbruggen.

Villa completed the comeback in the 60th minute.

Right-back Cash delivered another dangerous inswinging corner from the left and Onana outjumped De Cuyper at the back post to head home in front of the travelling fans.

Brighton keeper Verbruggen produced a fine save to prevent Dunk marking his milestone outing with an own goal.

Yet Villa did edge further ahead 12 minutes from time when substitute Malen made an instant impact by scuffing home on the rebound after Verbruggen saved Evann Guessand’s initial header.

Van Hecke swept home from just inside the box to create some jeopardy but Villa clung on to register a sixth successive win in all competitions after Bizot superbly denied Danny Welbeck’s added-time header.