Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton: Joy and tears at end of historic season

“We’re all going on a European Tour” sang both home and away sections of Villa Park at the end of Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton. And although no Albion fan wants their team to fail, if you are going to lose then this set of results and what it meant to the final Premier League table is the way to do it.

Three points for the home team meant they qualified for the Europa Conference ahead of Spurs. Not that Brighton fans are bitter or anything, but no European football at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season seemed justified after that shambolic officiating performance Spurs benefitted from in North London one month ago.

Harry Kane and Co were gifted a 2-1 win and three points by a combination of referee, assistant referee and VAR ruling out two perfectly legal Albion goals and denying the Seagulls two clear cut penalties.

Even with this blatant cheating in favour of one of the European Super League Elite Six, Tottenham finished two points below Brighton. And one point below Villa, more importantly.

Spurs did at least manage to relegate The Leeds United whilst Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton was playing out. That was the other positive outcome of the day, Peacocks fans sent back to the Championship with their deluded tails between the legs.

Remember when all those Yorkshire folk derided the Albion for not selling Ben White? Tweets accompanied with the infamous #FreeBenWhite hashtag read along the lines of: “If Brighton aren’t selling Ben White, then fine. We’ll have him when they are a Championship club and we’re playing in Europe.”

Lol. So yes, even though the Albion lost, Spurs missed out on Europe and Leeds found out that finishing as runners up in the 1996 Coca Cola Cup does not automatically entitle you to be a top seven Premier League side over 25 years later. Swings, roundabouts and all that.

With sixth place already secured by Roberto De Zerbi and this fantastic squad of players, the pressure was completely off Brighton at Villa Park.

The afternoon instead became one of celebration of a record-breaking season, the prospect of Thursday nights on the continent this autumn and then an emotional goodbye to one or more of the stars who have made Brighton history.

Every seat in the away end had a free t-shirt hailing Robert De Zerbi’s Blue and White Army and his team’s achievements on it, a nice touch from the club to reward the travelling fans.

Do not worry if you were not at Villa Park… by the time the later crowd rolled into the stadium five minutes before kick off, a lot of t-shirts had been nabbed by those doubling up.

Expect to see them popping on eBay (other auction sites are available) before long. It still blows my mind people are selling (and buying) those free flags from the FA Cup semi final against Manchester United for as much as £15 a pop online.

Some of those complementary t-shirts will have been tear stained by the end, thanks to Alexis Mac Allister and the emotional scenes that followed the full time whistle.

De Zerbi made sure that the first ever Brighton player to win a World Cup was afforded a suitable reception after what looks to have been his final game in an Albion shirt, leaving Mac Allister crying as he left the pitch.

Liverpool and Manchester City remain the frontrunners for his signature and nobody could begrudge him such a move. Mac Allister has been the ultimate professional, never agitating himself for a transfer and always giving everything for the Albion.

He put Brighton on the map with his exploits for Argentina in Qatar, making every Seagulls supporter proud. He deserves to double his wages at a club where he can regularly challenge for Premier League and Champions League medals to go with his World Cup one.

Brighton will never forget what Mac Allister has done and the role he played in helping the Albion change from perennial relegation candidates into a side playing in Europe.

And judging by his reaction to this send off, Mac Allister is unlikely to forget what Brighton did for him and his career. Gracias, Alexis.

Following Mac Allister out the door whilst further swelling the Albion’s bank balance could well be Moises Caicedo. The Ecuador international was wanted by Chelsea and Arsenal in January, leading to an ill-advised transfer request being posted on, er, Instagram.

Brighton said no and put Caicedo on temporary gardening leave. Since his return, he has become an even better player. Caicedo could have downed tools but instead he got back to work and has helped the Albion secure their aim of European football.

Speaking after the game, De Zerbi said of the future of his midfield duo: “I think that can be the last game of Alexis and Moises, I’m really sorry. They are two great people and two great players.”

“If you ask me about Caicedo and Mac Allister, I love them and they are two big, big players and can be in a big, big European team.”

“They can play in every competition and are ready to compete for a big team and I hope for them they can play in the best team in the world.”

Caicedo had to settle for a place on the bench in Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton as De Zerbi opted to give Swedish teenager Yasin Ayari a debut in midfield.

That was one of five changes from the side who had played out such a thrilling draw against City in midweek, including the return of Mac Allister, who himself had been rested against the champions.

The four teenagers in De Zerbi’s starting XI was the second-most in a single game since Sky Sports invented football in 1992. Mac Allister, Caicedo and who knows who else may be on their way, but the future still looks bright for the Albion.

Villa Park was packed to the rafters and there was a raucous atmosphere which inspired the hosts to make a fast start. Leon Bailey hit the bar inside five minutes after Jacob Ramsey caused problems down Villa’s left.

Brighton did not heed that warning and it was Ramsey who created the opening goal with seven minutes played. Joel Veltman was tricked and teased before Ramsey pulled a low cross back towards the onrushing Douglas Luiz to slam past Jason Steele.

The Albion mustered their first chance in response to falling behind. Mac Allister split the Villa defence with a 40 yard grounded through ball to send Evan Ferguson clear.

Ferguson though was unusually wayward with his finishing, firing high into the Holte End when you would have expected a striker of his quality to at least test Emiliano Martinez.

Brighton thought they had equalised when Deniz Undav beat Tyrone Mings and Martinez to convert a teasing Julio Enciso cross. Enciso though had strayed marginally offside and the Albion had another goal ruled out by VAR.

Whilst nobody could argue with that decision, the performance of referee David Coote became increasingly bizarre, starting with Villa’s second goal midway through the first half.

Mac Allister was the victim of a terrible John McGinn challenge in midfield. That allowed Ramsey to break between Veltman and Adam Webster, go one-on-one with Steele and square to Ollie Watkins for a tap-in.

To emphasise the point, Mac Allister showed Mr Coote the damage to his ankle caused by McGinn. Mr Coote remained unbothered and VAR did not intervene.

This was a far more clear and obvious foul than the one Erling Haaland committed on Wednesday night which resulted in City having a goal chalked off at the Amex. Where is the consistency?

Any Villa fans who thought the game as good as done at that point underestimate De Zerbi’s desire to win at everything. Brighton kept going even with nothing to play for.

Ferguson put another one-on-one wide following a clever pass from Undav. The German striker was having a rather good afternoon and he pulled one back six minutes before the break, controlling a Mac Allister free kick and producing a lovely finish over Martinez.

In a reversal of what had happened earlier in the game, this time the offside flag went up but VAR overruled. Not very often you see that. Villa might have even conceded again prior to half time when Enciso slipped in Undav to draw a good save from Martinez.

De Zerbi introduced Pervis Estupinan and Caicedo at half time, the sight of two of Brighton’s Players of the Season coming on causing very obvious concern around Villa Park.

The second half was much less exciting. Mac Allister volleyed just wide from the edge of the area and Ramsey somehow blazed over the bar from inside the six yard box with the goal gaping.

Villa reverted to type in the final 30 minutes, giving away niggly fouls and running the clock down. A debut for 18-year-old Jack Hinshelwood was probably the highlight from a Brighton point of view, making anyone who remembers the first appearance of dad Adam as a 18-year-old at Burnley in 2002 feel very old.

As well as being a fine defender, Adam gave us one of the all-time great Withdean moments when scoring an own goal from 30 yards against Colchester United on Boxing Day 2008.

Early days it might be for Jack, but there were sadly no indications that he possesses his old man’s penchant for such unforgettable moments.

Villa would have welcomed a Hinshelwood own goal – or one from any other player in blue and white for that matter – to make the game safe.

The tension around the stadium increased with each passing minute until Mr Coote blew the full time whistle on Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton.

And with that, this greatest of seasons ended in defeat. But who really cared? The Albion have given us memories these past nine months which will last a lifetime.

Expect there to be even more in 2023-24. See you in Europe.