Ollie Watkins Shines, but Villa Held by Brighton

Ollie Watkins marked his 29th birthday with a goal and an assist but Aston Villa were held to a 2-2 draw by Brighton in a hard-fought Premier League clash. The result extended Brighton’s winless streak to eight matches, though they managed to snatch a late equalizer. Brighton struck first in the 12th minute when Simon Adingra curled a shot past Emiliano Martinez. Villa denied an earlier penalty, leveled in the 36th minute after VAR awarded a spot-kick for Joao Pedro’s foul on Morgan Rogers.

Watkins confidently converted, sending goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen the wrong way. Early in the second half, Watkins turned provider, chipping a precise pass to Rogers, who finished clinically to give Villa the lead. However, their advantage slipped in the 81st minute when Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey, left unmarked fired a driven shot into the net. Villa, now ninth in the table and three points off potential Champions League qualification, rued their defensive lapses.

They have conceded 11 goals in the final 15 minutes of Premier League games this season, the worst record in the league. Brighton, 10th in the standings, fought hard for the draw. Manager Fabian Hurzeler made four changes with Adingra and Lamptey rewarding him with goals. Despite dominating the latter stages, the Seagulls couldn’t find a winner leaving their Premier League victory drought stretching back to November.

Watkins’ return to the starting XI after a three-week absence was impactful. With Jhon Duran suspended, Ollie Watkins capitalized on his opportunity, scoring from the spot and setting up a goal. He came close to scoring a second late on but fired over the bar. Next, Brighton face title-contenders Arsenal on January 4 while Villa host Leicester, looking to tighten their defense and return to winning ways.