Brighton & Hove Albion

Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

The season has started with a bang. With so many new coaches and major squad upheavals, I expected the unexpected and wasn't disappointed.

Hull City seeing off Manchester United raised the most eyebrows. Remember, United ended last season impressively and their hosts just about squeezed up from the Championship, via the play-offs. These are early days and Michael Carrick's side will improve, so need to panic yet. As for Hull, their performance hinted at something else.

Last season Brentford, Brighton and Bournemouth didn't have the slightest hint of an inferiority complex when facing the super-clubs. The Tigers have started in the same style and I suspect others have now seen the light and will follow their lead.

Many are now embracing the idea of chaos, following the control-based dogma that held sway for so long. Some suggest this is "Kloppism" eclipsing the Guardiola doctrine. This is a bit simplistic but there is change in the air and it is being helped by the recent rule changes.

The game is speeding up, encouraging a quicker, more open style that lends itself to this organised chaos. It's early days, but already a pattern appears set for the season; reputations might count for little when up against hungry, youthful, fearless opponents.

Spurs and Aston Villa are seen as "big" clubs but size doesn't matter when confronted by a hunger, desire to work and the ensuing mayhem.

Just look at the way Brentford and Brighton closed both of them down at the weekend; Manchester City were within six minutes of losing to Bournemouth; Liverpool were seconds away from losing to Newcastle, a team supposedly gutted of quality and experience after those brutal summer sales.

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Brighton and Aston Villa.

Here are some of your comments:

Brighton fans

Sam: I was concerned before the season started. Gaps across the pitch, especially in wide areas, but wow! The intensity in the press led to two great goals. Great performance and work done in the first half - then after, all about game management. Brilliant start to the season and a great atmosphere at the Amex. Roll on Thursday and Chelsea away.

Gordon: Villa have been our nemesis for a while so it's good to beat them.

David: A brilliant, aggressive, front-footed first half where the half-time score in no way flattered them. Every player seemed to want to go forward, which has never been the Brighton way. But what a difference in the second half, especially after the substitutions. Back to sideways and backwards passing - the fast, forward passing of the first half was forgotten. So let's be grateful for four goals, a clean sheet and top of the table.

Barry: What a fantastic performance from Brighton! A brilliant 4–0 victory over Aston Villa, with every player contributing. The team looked sharp, confident and dangerous throughout, and Danny Welbeck's absence was barely felt. A superb all-round display and a thoroughly deserved win.

Villa fans

Ian: Villa were really poor and embarrassing! They deserved everything they got from Brighton. Villa players giving the ball away in dangerous areas and no idea of any movement off the ball. Obviously there is a lot of uncertainty with things happening in the transfer window, but things need tightening up. I trust Unai Emery to sort it, especially when injured players are available again.

Dan: Such a worry to start the season like this. The team selected looked so short of quality - then then combine that with the very poor performance, gifting Brighton a number of goals, and it does not look good. Hope we have some signings coming, a few players to regain fitness and Emery can get them being consistent! Doesn't help to have the circus around Ollie Watkins!

Andy: One result should not define a season and clearly there's a rebuilding job to do at Villa. Let's not panic as there have been huge changes in players and the new players will take time to gel. Joao Gomes is quality and will only learn from Sunday, plus will be amazing for us! Keep the faith…

Rod: No striker, no midfield, no first-choice keeper. With the core missing, we did well to lose 4-0. Keep the faith - but I have a gut feeling Unai will depart soon.

Former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy has praised Brighton for their "superb" performance against Aston Villa at Amex Stadium.

Fabian Hurzeler's side kicked off the 2026-27 Premier League campaign with an impressive 4-0 win over Unai Emery's Europa League-winning team.

"There was so much to like about Brighton, but Aston Villa didn't half give them a helping hand," Murphy said on Match of the Day.

"It was woeful after the first goal. You are away from home in the first game of the season and you cannot afford to give your opponent any impetus.

"You could see what Brighton were trying to do as well. It was so obvious but, take nothing away, they did it so well.

"Brighton were superb - it was a great start for them."

Catch up on Match of the Day on BBC iPlayer

Liverpool, external and Brighton were expected to hold fresh talks on Sunday over winger Yankuba Minteh, as the Reds consider whether to make a third bid. (Ben Jacobs via TeamTalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, speaking to Match of the Day: "We had a tough start but afterwards we got the control back, we pressed intensely, we forced them to do mistakes so it was quite positive. In the end the red card was a game changer."

On approaching the second half 4-0 up: "We still had a few chances and wanted to score but the clean sheet was very important."

On the first half: "We were effective out of possession. We were there in the right moment. We got into a flow and when you are in a flow a lot of things can happen. We have to stay humble, keep working hard because on Thursday we have the next challenge."

On young players playing their part: "We need every player. We will always get young players in full of potential, it's up to us to develop them. It was a positive start so let's keep pushing them."

Brighton goalscorer Jack Hinshelwood, speaking to Match of the Day: "I thought they started qu9ite well and we had to weather a bit of a storm for the first five. After that we brought a real intensinty, energy and passion and it ended with us scoring four goals in the first half. A really good start."

On his two goals: "Credit to the boys. It was a really good start. After we scored a few the confidence grew. We were dangerous every time we got the ball. The press was the main thing."

On the game being done and dusted at half-time: "They had to sit behind the ball with a man less, but the first half was really enjoyable and I've owed Villa a game like that for a while after my debut."

On setting the tone for the rest of the season: "Massive. We've laid the foundations now, we have set the bar and that's it now. We have set a real good standard but that needs to continue now."

Listen to more from Fabian Hurzeler on BBC Sounds here

Did you know?

• Today's victory for Brighton put an end to a run of three consecutive Premier League defeats against Aston Villa, whilst this was just the Seagulls' third victory against the Villans in the competition in what was the 15th meeting between the two sides (W3 D3 L9).

• There were just 79 seconds between Jack Hinshelwood's first (29:11) and second goals (30:30), whilst the 21-year-old has scored four goals in his last four Premier League home matches, as many as he netted in his previous 26 games at the Amex Stadium combined.

Adwaidh Rajan
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton could not have asked for a better start to the new season.

Like Villa, they have also lost key personnel during the transfer window in defender Jan Paul van Hecke and season striker Danny Welbeck, with midfielder Carlos Baleba likely to join them in leaving soon.

Yet, Hurzeler was still able to field a side that looked far closer to Brighton's first-choice line-up than the one Emery could.

Club-record signing Luka Vuskovic started at centre-back on his Premier League debut and produced an assured display while goals from De Cuyper and Hinshelwood would be a welcome sight as they look to replace Welbeck's output.

Without a recognised striker, Rutter started up front and, despite not getting on the scoresheet, was central during Brighton's attacking spree in the first half.

Hurzeler and his players will have little time to savour their start as attention will turn to the Conference League play-off second leg against Norway's Tromso on Thursday, 27 August (19:30 BST), after a goalless draw last week.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Brighton's performance

What did you make of Aston Villa's display?

Reaction and analysis to follow - and come back on Monday for a selection of your replies.

There are three games in the Premier League on Sunday as the opening weekend continues, and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Brighton v Aston Villa - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Man City v Bournemouth - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Newcastle v Liverpool (16:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 14:00 BST unless stated.

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You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on your smart speaker. Just say "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play Brighton v Aston Villa" or "Alexa, ask BBC Sounds to play the Newcastle match", for example.

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The Champions League is going to stretch Aston Villa and I don't see them making it back into the top four this season.

They have lost Morgan Rogers as well as Youri Tielemans and, while Johan Manzambi is a young man with a lot of talent, it is a big ask for him to hit the ground running and replace Rogers straight away.

Also, I'm not sure if anyone can get a tune out of Alejandro Garnacho but I suppose if anyone can it is Unai Emery.

Their goalkeeper situation is interesting too, with Japan's Zion Suzuki arriving. He will come in revved up, while Emiliano Martinez looked like he was on his bike until his move to Juventus fell through.

As I had to remind Mark Chapman on Monday Night Club, you can't play with two goalkeepers - they changed many laws of the game over the summer, but not that one - so we will have to see who gets the nod on Saturday.

As for Brighton, they have also lost a couple of key players, such as Danny Welbeck and Jan Paul van Hecke, who were the spine of their team. But I am expecting a big season from Jack Hinshelwood, who was phenomenal for them last season.

Villa started really slowly last season and it took them six league games to get a win. This will be close, but I think they will get off to a flier this time.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist

After superb seasons in 2025-26, Brighton and Aston Villa begin what promise to be intriguing campaigns for both at Amex Stadium on Sunday (14:00 BST).

The Seagulls finished last term strongly, snatching a place in the Conference League as a result. While there is excitement about another continental adventure, it has been a busy summer of transfer activity for head coach Fabian Hurzeler to contend with.

The same can be said for Aston Villa, who will play Champions League football this term after their top-five finish and Europa League triumph. Head coach Unai Emery has lost a host of experienced players though, and replacing them will be a major test of his coaching acumen and the club's recruitment strategy.

Brighton rebuild at the back

For Brighton, the big challenge this season will be retaining their edge in both penalty boxes.

Danny Welbeck, who joined Chelsea for £5m this summer, will be a big loss from an attacking perspective. No Seagulls player has scored more in a Premier League campaign than the 13 goals he netted in 2025-26.

There has been a significant restructure in defence, though. After losing Jan Paul van Hecke to Tottenham, Brighton have splashed the cash on Luka Vuskovic from Spurs and Pascal Struijk from Leeds United, and also added Costinha and Michael Svoboda as defensive cover.

Van Hecke was crucial to the way in which the team played and replacing his work in possession could prove trickier than replicating his defensive influence.

Brighton tend to start seasons well, though, winning four and drawing one of their last five Premier League openers. By contrast, Villa have won just two of their last seven since returning to the top flight after being promoted from the Championship in 2020.

Changing of the guard at Villa?

Villa's summer transfer activity will not make it any easier to get off to a fast start, albeit there will be excitement about the business done.

In Youri Tielemans, Morgan Rogers, Lucas Digne and Ezri Konsa, Emery has lost some core members behind the team's success in recent seasons. Meanwhile Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins have also been linked with moves away.

Players like Johan Manzambi and Joao Gomes should go some way to plugging the gaps left by those who have moved on. But there is no doubt that Villa have a leadership and experience void to plug.

There will also be hope that some youngsters can help ease the transition. In the Super Cup, 17-year-old striker Brian Madjo caught the eye with a goal against Paris St-Germain – he became the youngest player to score for Aston Villa since Louie Barry netted against Liverpool in the FA Cup in January 2021 – while George Hemmings is also expected to play a more significant role in the coming weeks.

With plenty of transfer business still likely to be done at Villa Park and Emery's penchant for giving new arrivals time to bed in, both could be thrust into the Premier League action at the Amex.

Grace Wheeler
BBC Sport

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Aston Villa at American Express Stadium (kick-off 14:00).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• The boss gave us an update on his team news, he said: "Carlos [Baleba] and [Yankuba] Minteh, they won't be available. Then Kaoru [Mitoma] is still in his rehab, Stefanos Tzimas is still in his rehab, so therefore I think these four players, they will miss out. Besides that, we have no new injuries."

• Hurzeler spoke about the rumours linking Brighton midfielder Baleba with a move to Manchester United: "He is our player and I will never comment on any rumours that are currently in the media. It's also something I definitely can't control."

• On his players being linked with moves, he added: "There are rumours about the important players for us because they were a big part of the journey the last two years, but in football you all have to understand that it's normal if you're successful as a team, if the team is doing well, there's some good achievements then the individual can shine and then of course there will be a big ask for players. That's part of our identity, that's part of my job here. We also know that good achievements, big achievements, especially in the Premier League, you create offers, you create a lot of attention and so therefore we have to wait now."

• Hurzeler said changes across the Premier League mean his side must be well prepared, adding: "It will be very unpredictable, so we need to have a good start, we need to do the basic things right. I think this will be the key, that we know what is our foundation, what we need to be successful in the Premier League and hopefully we can manage it from the first second."

• On what to expect from the signing Promise David: "He is a great and very positive character. I think that's the first impression. Second of all, a goalscorer. He has goals in his body and in his mind and that's something that we definitely wanted to have. Today he will have his first session on the pitch with the boys and then hopefully he might be already involved against Villa."

• The Brighton boss is keen to evolve and become comfortable across competitions, stating: "We can learn from having more games, that we can grow into these moments where we play in several competitions. So that's what the club wants to do."

• He added: "That's what in general we see as a club as the next step. Hopefully we can qualify next week and then we're really looking forward for playing in several competitions. That means also new new challenges but we feel ready for that."

• The transfer deadline window is not over yet but Hurzeler seems content with the players he has: "I'm really happy with the squad. I love to work with the players we have and of course there are a lot of rumours at the moment, a lot of different circumstances, but me as a coach, I can only focus on that what I can control that's preparing."

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Listen to full commentary of the match on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton secured a place in the Conference League by finishing eighth last season but with some better finishing, they could – and arguably should – have finished slightly higher.

Defensively the Seagulls were one of the best in the league. They conceded the fewest goals outside of the top two, while they also impressively ranked sixth for shots faced and fifth for expected goals against.

The attack was not quite so impressive, although they still ranked in the top half for both shots and xG. But, despite only five teams creating better chances on average, only five were worse at converting them.

As a result, the Seagulls scored six goals fewer than expected given the chances they had, with 52 scored from 57.8 xG – only four teams underperformed their xG by more.

If they can fix their finishing while maintaining their all-round performance from last season, then Fabian Hurzeler's men should have a strong campaign.

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Thursday's Conference League play-off first leg between Tromso and Brighton.

Here are some of your comments:

Jon: First game of the season against a much fitter team and draw away from home - I think we should be content with that. We have to feel quietly confident for the home tie.

Chris: Looks like we've continued the end of last season with a poor showing in the final third against Tromso. Same goal-shy issues and chances wasted. The Villa game on Sunday now looks worrying.

Phil: Apart from attempts by Georginio Rutter and Ibrahim Osman, Brighton's shots on goal were no better than the average professional player - hit way too high over the bar. They dominated, but faced a well drilled defence. In that situation, something different and surprising needed to be tried. I doubt it will play out any different in the home leg, and I'm worried Tromso will win with the proverbial sucker punch.

Pete: Tricky first game with everything to lose away from home on an artificial pitch 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle! Goalless draw is not the worst result but the Seagulls will have to be sharp at the Amex next week and try and dominate early on.

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler after a goalless leg in the Seagulls' Europa Conference League play-off: "I think we controlled the game but we weren't quick enough in possession. We still had a few opportunities, but I think overall Tromso defended well."

On Tromso's performance: "They had two big chances after transition moments [where] we have to defend better. Overall [they were] a tough opponent which is what we expected. I think we expected exactly how Tromso played. They defended well, very compact. They had a lot of players in their box who blocked the shots well, and they had a really good goalkeeper and were good in transition. We created opportunities, but in the end we have to be satisfied with a draw, although it's not the result we hoped for."

On the second leg at the Amex next Thursday: "Now we are looking forward to the opportunity to win the game in front of our own fans. There are certain aspects we have to improve against Tromso. Overall, like I said, they are a good football team so we will have to play on our highest level to win the game at the Amex."

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Image source, Getty Images

In the Premier League last season, 13 of the 20 teams finished with between 40 and 60 points - the most in an English top-flight campaign since 2003-04 (also 13).

Was the Premier League so competitive in 2025-26 because the quality of the 'lesser' teams got better or the top teams got worse? It is hard to know for sure.

Given how savvy clubs like Brighton, Brentford and Bournemouth are, the vast amounts of money that enable even bottom-half sides to sign the best talent from abroad and the Premier League's current dominance of the Europa League and Conference League, it would seem to be the former.

However, the fact that promoted play-off winners Sunderland were able to finish above 13 teams in their first season back suggests the league was maybe not as strong as we think.

What we do know is that whether because they got worse or their opponents got better, four of the sides that finished in the top seven in 2024-25 - champions Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest - took 79 points fewer between them last season.

While Forest's decline was perhaps expected given their incredible seventh-place finish in 2024-25 and their journey to the Europa League semi-finals last season, the others were far more surprising.

Sunderland and Leeds smashed the recent run of promoted sides struggling to compete by taking 64 more points than the teams they replaced in the top flight.

As a result, this season will be a bit of an upside-down one in that Bournemouth, Brighton and Sunderland have European campaigns to navigate while Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle do not.

Will we therefore see a bounce-back to the more 'traditional' order in 2026-27 or are we truly entering a new, fiercely-competitive era of the Premier League?

Read more on the Premier League's competitiveness

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Get in touch with your views here

Come back to this page on Friday to find a selection of your replies