Aston Villa lose 1-0 to Brighton in lethargic display

Birmingham World reporter Charlie Haffenden reacts to Aston Villa's 1-0 loss away at Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.

Transcript

00:00 Aston Villa have suffered a slight blow in their Champions League hopes today, losing

00:04 1-0 away at Brighton and Hove Albion.

00:07 Giao Pedro's goal the difference, though it wasn't too easy for him, he had to score

00:10 on the rebound from a penalty.

00:11 It was very well saved by Robin Olsen, who had a fantastic game between the sticks for

00:16 Villa, coming in for the injured Emiliano Martinez.

00:18 The Swede probably deserved a clean sheet, but in terms of the game itself, well, I think

00:22 Brighton did deserve to win this and claim all three points.

00:25 It created so many more chances, Simon Odinga was a real threat getting in behind and Ezri

00:30 Konza fouled Odinga for the penalty.

00:33 Just some frustrations though from Emery and his backroom staff that Villa weren't able

00:37 to get a penalty for a very similar action on Morgan Rodgers in the first half.

00:42 And that was the talk of the post-match press conference as well.

00:44 Should Villa have had a penalty?

00:46 Could the complexion of the game have been a lot different had Villa had that penalty?

00:49 But as it was, Brighton got their spot kick, they converted it eventually to claim all

00:54 three points here.

00:55 It looked like it was going to be a drab nil-nil, but if Iberteam was to win it, it probably

00:59 was to see goals, creating so many chances.

01:02 Simon Odinga getting in behind, Ezri Konza fouling him for that penalty, as I say, and

01:06 I think he was the danger man.

01:08 They had so many different chances that Olsen saved and kept Villa in the match.

01:12 So in the end, it is a deserved three points for Brighton, none for Villa.

01:15 It's just all up to now what Tottenham Hotspur do away at Anfield, and then of course Villa

01:20 have to host Liverpool in the Premier League after that.