Aston Villa travel to Brighton on Sunday with uncertainty surrounding several of Unai Emery’s biggest players, but recent history suggests the Amex Stadium has become one of their favourite Premier League away grounds.
Villa have won their last two league visits to Brighton, scoring seven goals in the process.
A 3-0 victory in April 2025 was followed by an extraordinary 4-3 comeback win last December, when Villa recovered from 2-0 down to take all three points.
Those results form part of an even more impressive wider record.
Aston Villa have dominated Brighton in the Premier League
Brighton’s own official match preview confirms that the Seagulls have lost nine of their 14 Premier League meetings with Aston Villa, a defeat rate of 64 per cent.
Only Manchester City have beaten Brighton in a greater proportion of their Premier League meetings among clubs they have faced across multiple seasons.
Villa are also unbeaten in all four league meetings with Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton, winning three and drawing one.
That gives the Brighton head coach an average of just 0.25 points per game against Emery, his joint-lowest return against any opposition manager he has faced at least twice in the Premier League.
The recent Amex meetings show why.
Villa won 3-0 at Brighton in April 2025, with Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen all scoring after the interval.
Eight months later came an even more memorable result.
Villa recovered from 2-0 down to win 4-3 at the Amex, as Ollie Watkins scored twice before Amadou Onana and Malen completed the turnaround.
Ollie Watkins has remarkable Brighton record
Watkins could again become central to Sunday’s meeting despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Read Aston Villa reported on Friday that Villa rejected an improved £45million Al-Hilal bid, with the striker pushing for the transfer.
If Emery starts him at Brighton, the numbers favour Villa.
Brighton’s official preview states Watkins has been directly involved in 11 Premier League goals against the Seagulls, scoring nine and assisting another two across his last nine appearances against them.
He has not produced more Premier League goal involvements against any other opponent.
Brighton have also dropped 13 points from winning positions against Villa, more than against any other Premier League side.
That statistic proved painfully relevant in December when their two-goal lead disappeared before half-time.
Brighton injuries add to Aston Villa opportunity
Sunday’s circumstances are different.
Villa themselves have undergone enormous change this summer, while Emery is dealing with several injuries and unresolved transfer situations.
Brighton, however, are also short-handed.
Brighton were also held 0-0 by Tromsø in Europe on Thursday, giving them a short turnaround before the Premier League opener.
Villa cannot simply rely on history.
But two consecutive Amex victories, seven goals and one of Watkins’ favourite opponents provide Emery with plenty of evidence that Brighton can be hurt again.
