Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 Aston Villa: Match Report, Goals, Stats and Ratings
Premier League Matchday 1 · Sunday 23 August 2026 · The American Express Community Stadium, Falmer · referee P. Bankes · full time
Full time: Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 Aston Villa
Brighton & Hove Albion won 4-0 at home to Aston Villa in Premier League Matchday 1 on Sunday 23 August 2026. The goals: Maxim De Cuyper 18', Jack Hinshelwood 30', Jack Hinshelwood 31'.
How Brighton & Hove Albion won it
An own goal by Victor Lindelöf put Brighton & Hove Albion ahead in the 8th minute. Maxim De Cuyper made it 2-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion in the 18th minute, set up by Georginio Rutter. Jack Hinshelwood made it 3-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion in the 30th minute, set up by Diego Gómez. Jack Hinshelwood made it 4-0 to Brighton & Hove Albion in the 31st minute.
It was 4-0 at half-time, and nothing changed after the break.
Jack Hinshelwood scored twice.
João Gomes of Aston Villa was sent off in the 40th minute. The referee, P. Bankes, showed 5 yellow cards: 2 to Brighton & Hove Albion and 3 to Aston Villa.
Brighton & Hove Albion: F. Hürzeler, 4-2-3-1 · Aston Villa: U. Emery Etxegoien, 4-2-3-1.
Moneyball's prediction against the result
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Why it went this way
On the day the expected goals were 0.33 for Brighton & Hove Albion and 3.19 for Aston Villa.
Brighton & Hove Albion scored about 3.7 more than their chances were worth: clinical finishing, or a goalkeeper having a bad day.
Aston Villa left about 3.2 goals' worth of chances on the pitch.
Aston Villa created the better chances, 3.19 xG to 0.33, and still lost. On chances alone, the result could easily have gone the other way.
Brighton & Hove Albion had 6 shots on target, Aston Villa 0.
Brighton & Hove Albion had 73% of the ball and turned it into the win.
A red card changed the shape of the match, and no pre-match model can see one coming.
Where the two sides stood before this match
Brighton & Hove Albion came into it with 5 Premier League matches played, scoring 3.2 and conceding 1.0 a match, with 2.18 expected goals for and 1.74 against, and had won 60% of their matches.
Aston Villa came into it with 5 Premier League matches played, scoring 0.8 and conceding 1.8 a match, with 0.93 expected goals for and 1.77 against, and had won 20% of their matches.
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa: the match in numbers
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Match statistics | Aston Villa |
|---|---|---|
| 73% | Ball possession | 27% |
| 0.33 | Expected goals (xG) | 3.19 |
| 21 | Total shots | 6 |
| 6 | Shots on target | 0 |
| 6 | Big chances | 0 |
| 647 | Total passes | 242 |
| 93% | Pass accuracy | 76% |
| 5 | Corners | 2 |
| 12 | Fouls | 11 |
| 6 | Offsides | 2 |
| 21 | Tackles | 19 |
| 0 | Saves | 3 |
| 2 | Yellow cards | 3 |
| 0 | Red cards | 1 |
Team statistics from Sportmonks.
Player ratings and man of the match
Man of the match: Jack Hinshelwood (Brighton & Hove Albion), rated 8.9 by Sportmonks, with 2 goals.
Brighton & Hove Albion
- Jack Hinshelwood 8.9 2 goals
- Maxim De Cuyper 8.1 1 goal
- Diego Gómez 7.8 1 assist
- Pascal Groß 7.5
- Mats Wieffer 7.5
Aston Villa
- Emiliano Buendía 7.0
- Tyrone Mings 6.6
- Matteo Ruggeri 6.6
- Ross Barkley 6.6
- Alysson 6.5
The lowest-rated starter was Pau Torres at 5.0. Ratings run from 0 to 10; around 7.0 is a solid match.
What comes next
- Brighton & Hove Albion: Sunderland vs Brighton & Hove Albion Saturday 10 October 2026 · Premier League
- Aston Villa: Aston Villa vs Brentford Saturday 10 October 2026 · Premier League
Each preview has Moneyball's estimate for the next match, published before kick-off and marked against the result afterwards, as this one is.
Questions about Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
What was the score in Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa?
Brighton & Hove Albion 4-0 Aston Villa (half-time 4-0), Premier League, Sunday 23 August 2026.
Who scored in Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa?
Maxim De Cuyper 18', Jack Hinshelwood 30', Jack Hinshelwood 31'.
Did Moneyball predict Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa correctly?
Moneyball did not publish a pre-match estimate for this match, so there is nothing to mark it against.
Who was man of the match in Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa?
Jack Hinshelwood, rated 8.9 by Sportmonks.
Who refereed Brighton & Hove Albion vs Aston Villa?
P. Bankes.
Every match, before and after
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