- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 397,333
- Reaction score
- 43
You must be registered for see images attach
Marcus Rashford was on the scoresheet again - Getty Images
Across the Premier League there are football executives who insist the January window is simply not a good time to find value in the transfer market. January is for panic buyers, it is said, or for those who failed to do their jobs six months earlier.
The ultimate counter-argument to this point of view was on the pitch at the Amex Stadium on Wednesday night. Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen were winter signings at Aston Villa and those three players all made the difference on an important occasion for Unai Emery’s side.
Villa have lost only one of their 11 games in all competitions since Rashford and Asensio were added to their front-line. In this potentially crucial victory at Brighton, they demonstrated why they have been such transformative players for their new team. In an even, niggly contest, they scored the first two goals. Malen then added a late third.
For Rashford, it was further evidence that he has reached a level of happiness and consistency that has been lacking for much of the past year. His finish, for Villa’s first, was clinical and assured. And for Asensio, who started on the bench here, it was another goal of supreme technical quality. He has already scored eight in Villa’s colours.
You must be registered for see images attach
Rashford looks to be thriving on loan at Villa - Getty Images/Neville Williams
The first two goals were created by the excellent Morgan Rogers, who impressed for England last month. Villa left the south coast knowing they were the more powerful and mature team. The victory took them above Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton side, who are now playing catch-up in the battle for European qualification.
Villa began the night two points behind Brighton and, perhaps knowing they therefore needed to seize the initiative here, they started as the more adventurous team. Ezri Konsa, John McGinn and Rashford all went close to scoring an opening goal within only 12 minutes of action.
For Rashford, a starting role as the centre-forward was a deserved reward for his two goals in the FA Cup last weekend. Perhaps the recent injury to Ollie Watkins played a part in Emery’s selection, but Rashford is a footballer reborn at Villa and he moved with real menace at times in those early moments.
After surviving that initial flurry, though, Brighton soon began to throw some punches of their own. Kaoru Mitoma was causing problems on the left flank, while Simon Adingra fizzed a shot narrowly wide of Emiliano Martínez’s goal. There was also a fierce free-kick from Yasin Ayari, who struck the base of the post with his dipping strike.
Hürzeler’s team have won four and drawn one of their last five league games, which has led to a renewed sense of expectation at the Amex. That feeling among the fanbase could also be characterised as hunger, for more progress under Hürzeler and for another campaign of European football, following last season’s Europa League adventure.
It soon became an intriguingly even game, with little between the two sides. The decisions of the officials can be decisive on nights like these, and Villa had every reason to be upset with the failure of referee Stuart Attwell to award them a first-half penalty. Jacob Ramsey had beaten Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood, whose swiping challenge took none of the ball and plenty of the man.
Hinshelwood was fortunate in the extreme to avoid punishment, not least because he was also already on a yellow card. The Premier League’s operational hub swiftly posted an explanation, saying the contact was “deemed not to reach the threshold for a foul”, but Villa’s players and coaches certainly would not have agreed with that assessment.
Whatever grumbles Villa might have had with the decision, they were soon eradicated by the delights of the opening goal. From a Brighton corner, the visitors launched the simplest of counter-attacks. Rogers smashed the ball over the top, and Rashford beat the hesitant Bart Verbruggen in the one-against-one.
Villa had their lead and they soon had justice, of sorts, on refereeing decisions. Adingra thought he had equalised from close range after Martínez had spilled the ball, but a VAR review revealed that Mitoma had used his arm in the build-up to the goal.
Brighton continued to push for an equaliser but it was Villa who offered the greater threat. Rogers soon skipped away from Brighton debutant Eiran Cashin down the right wing, and he then spotted Asensio in the penalty area. Asensio then set up Malen, also off the bench, for the late third, finished with considerable force into the far corner.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Continue reading...
