Matt Targett scored a dramatic winner with Aston Villa coming from behind to beat 10-man Brighton as Dean Smith celebrated his one-year anniversary in charge.
The result lifts Villa, who were mid-table in the Championship when Smith took over, up to 11th in the Premier League.
Brighton, who last won consecutive Premier League games in March, had started brightly and carved out several goalscoring opportunities before going ahead – with Adam Webster heading Pascal’s Gros’ free-kick into the bottom right corner from close range.
But Villa, who had a Conor Hourihane goal ruled out after VAR, deemed forward Wesley had fouled Seagulls goalkeeper Mat Ryan in the build-up, levelled after Aaron Mooy was sent off for the Seagulls.
The Australia midfielder carelessly collected two yellow cards in the space of five minutes – the second for a foul on Jack Grealish – to hand Villa the initiative.
And that allowed Grealish to play a central role in Villa’s comeback – as he tapped in Frederic Guilbert’s cross from close range to equalise.
The midfielder then laid on Targett’s late winner, his pass releasing the full-back on the left of the Brighton penalty area. Targett’s shot found the right bottom corner to leave Brighton in 16th in the table.
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Source – BBC
