Ollie Watkins’ hat-trick helps rampant Aston Villa hit Brighton for six

Aston Villa 6 Brighton 1

Two aspirant clubs, a pair of transformative managers, both aiming to crash the elite. Both coaches deeply admire the other, but it was Roberto De Zerbi, lately linked with Real Madrid, who received a lesson from the greater wiles of Unai Emery, and a masterclass in centre-forward play by Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Emery’s innovations may have been chewed up and spat out by Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain but he remains a manager of meticulous research, often knowing his opponents perhaps even better than they do themselves. Time and again, his Villa team picked at the weakness at the point of transition that is the soft underbelly of Brighton’s counter-pressing machine.

Both managers retained permanent presences on the sidelines, Emery always in motion, urging, clapping, forever tweaking. De Zerbi was far less demonstrative, hands in pocket, pacing like a Ryder Cup captain watching another vital putt slide by, trying to retain his cool as his team repeatedly lost the battles for second balls and room to express themselves.

Brighton had won just once at Villa Park in 15 previous visits but had won five of their first six top-flight matches this season. How would Villa, clad in their infamous, wet-look, heavy-wearing home kits cope? They pressed hard and aggressively from the get-go, forcing Lewis Dunk into an early – and portentous – communication breakdown with his goalkeeper, Jason Steele.

As Brighton dominated early possession, it was Villa who broke more dangerously. Their first major chance saw Watkins enraged when Moussa Diaby over-deliberated. He was smiling soon enough once John McGinn’s pass sent Matty Cash clear down the right. A finish from a yard out was his only requirement.

Watkins