Aston Villa vs Brighton

The Villa Park lights will shine on a pivotal Premier League clash this Wednesday, February 11, 2026, as Unai Emery’s high-flying Aston Villa hosts a struggling Brighton & Hove Albion. Kick-off is set for 19:45 GMT.

With Villa (3rd, 47 points) firmly entrenched in a three-way title race alongside Arsenal and Manchester City, every point is a prisoner. Conversely, Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton (14th, 31 points) arrives in the West Midlands desperate to arrest a worrying slump that has seen them win just once in their last 11 league outings.

Match Information

Aston Villa: The Pursuit of Perfection

Unai Emery was recently named Premier League Manager of the Month for December, and his side has shown no signs of slowing down in 2026. Despite a recent scoreless draw against Brentford, Villa remains just six points off the top of the table.

Team News and Selection:

• The Watkins Return: After missing the trip to Bournemouth with a minor hamstring strain, Ollie Watkins is expected to return to the starting XI. He boasts a formidable record against Brighton, with seven goals in his last nine appearances against them.

• Midfield Shuffles: With John McGinn, Youri Tielemans, and Boubacar Kamara facing long-term layoffs, the onus falls on Amadou Onana and recent arrival Douglas Luiz to anchor the midfield.

• Elliott Saga: Harvey Elliott remains a talking point; Emery admitted the playmaker is being "damaged" by his lack of minutes due to a complex obligation-to-buy clause in his loan from Liverpool.

• Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; Onana, Douglas Luiz; Bailey, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins.

Brighton: Hürzeler Under Fire

The youngest manager in Premier League history is facing his first true "testing run." Following a heartbreaking late equalizer conceded to Everton last week, the pressure from the Amex faithful is mounting. Brighton opted for a quiet January, focusing on stability rather than spending, but results have yet to follow.

Team News and Selection:

• Gomez Returns: The versatile Diego Gomez is available again and could provide much-needed creative thrust.

• Midfield Absence: Yasin Ayari is ruled out after picking up a shoulder injury, likely paving the way for Mats Wieffer or a deeper role for Carlos Baleba.

• The Goal Threat: With Joao Pedro and Evan Ferguson struggling for consistent service, the Seagulls have relied heavily on defensive solidity—a trait that will be tested to the limit by Villa's attack.

• Predicted XI (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Estupiñán; Wieffer, Baleba, Hinshelwood; Adingra, Joao Pedro, Mitoma.

? Head-to-Head (H2H) and Key Stats

• The "Villa Curse": Brighton has won only one of their six Premier League away games against Aston Villa (D1, L4), conceding at least twice in every game they failed to win.

• Goal Fest: The reverse fixture in December was a classic, ending in a 4–3 victory for Villa at the Amex.

• Clean Sheet Kings: Despite their attacking flair, Villa has developed a "steel" at home, keeping three clean sheets in their last five at Villa Park.

• Watkins' Target: Ollie Watkins has scored more Premier League goals against Brighton (7) than any other opponent.

Tactical Preview and Prediction

Emery will likely look to exploit Brighton’s high defensive line using the pace of Leon Bailey and the intelligent movement of Ollie Watkins. Brighton’s best chance lies in their ability to dominate the ball; if they can bypass Villa’s mid-block through Baleba and Mitoma, they may find joy against a Villa defense that can occasionally be caught static.

However, given the contrasting form and Villa’s dominance in this fixture, it is hard to look past a home win that keeps the Birmingham club in the heart of the title conversation.

Final Score Prediction: Aston Villa 3–1 Brighton