There aren’t many Aston Villa matches that have gone as badly as their first of the 2026/27 season.
Villa, decimated during the transfer window, were beaten 4-0 by Brighton & Hove Albion in their opening Premier League fixture at the Amex Stadium and were four down after 31 minutes before a red card exacerbated their disastrous afternoon.
The first goal was suicidal and snatched control of the game from Villa. They were awful from that point onwards and this will go down as one of the most shameful performances for generations.
Here are the player ratings:
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Here are our ratings:
Marco Bizot - 3
Beaten easily twice and then flapped at the first corner faced by Villa. Made a few expected saves after the game had gone.
Matty Cash - 2
Failed to step up in time to prevent Brighton’s second goal. Blocked what would have been their fifth.
Victor Lindelöf - 2
Credited with an own goal to make it 1-0 but not at direct fault. Lost Jack Hinshelwood for the third.
Pau Torres - 2
Cost Villa the first goal by playing a blind pass across the back and giving the ball away. Dreadful defending for Brighton’s second goal too. Gave the ball away and it could have led to a third. Substituted with 16 minutes to go.
Ian Maatsen - 3
Offered pace and direct attacking on the left. Woeful decision to throw the ball back to his own goal-line in the lead-up to the own goal. Beaten too easily from a cross for goal number three.
Went close to pulling one back six minutes into the second half. Substituted late.
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Boubacar Kamara - 3
Next to no impact in the middle of the park until late in the first half, when he became the first Villa player for ages to get a foot on the ball and slow things down in a safe area. Showed a little more bite after the break.
João Gomes - 0
Caught on the ball for the fourth goal.
Booked for waving an imaginary yellow card, roughly 50,000 players after the last player cautioned for it, and then immediately set about trying to earn a second yellow.
Went for a straight red instead. Richly deserved our first ever 0.
John McGinn - 2
Fired over after 16 minutes. Struggled to drag Villa out of the dirt. Substituted late.
Emi Buendía - 3
Played in front of Ross Barkley in the absence of Ollie Watkins but the two swapped over often. Should have scored in the fifth minute but didn’t catch the shot.
George Hemmings - 3
Zero effect on the game in an attacking sense in the first half. Got a decent look at goal in the second after a good run but chose to pull the ball back and misplaced the pass.
Ross Barkley - 3
Gave Brighton an early fright by pinching the ball on the press, creating the moment that might have changed the game with a better finish from Buendía. Substituted with quarter of an hour remaining.
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Substitutes
Tyrone Mings (for Torres, 74) - Late substitute. N/A
Lamare Bogarde (for Barkley, 74) - Late substitute. N/A
Matteo Ruggeri (for Maatsen, 81) - Late substitute. N/A
Alysson (for McGinn, 81) - Late substitute. N/A
Alejandro Garnacho (for Buendía, 86) - Late substitute. N/A