Brighton start Premier League season with rout of 10-man Villa

Brighton began their Premier League season with a resounding 4-0 victory over 10-man Aston Villa at the Amex Stadium. Maxim de Cuyper scored the opening goal, inadvertently opening the floodgates for Brighton just eight minutes into the match by scoring an own goal, which was followed by another from the same player ten minutes later.

Villa, who had finished fourth in the previous season, struggled to respond and were further humbled when Jack Hinshelwood netted two goals within minutes of each other to cement Brighton's 4-0 lead. The match took a dramatic turn when Villa captain Joao Gomes received a red card in the 40th minute, leaving his team with 10 men.

Despite Villa's initial promising start, they failed to capitalize, with the only near miss coming from Emiliano Buendia just five minutes into the game. Brighton's defense held firm, with Georginio Rutter and De Cuyper both finding the back of the net in the first half, leaving Villa with a 3-0 deficit. Hinshelwood's two additional goals in the second half ensured Brighton finished the match with a dominant 4-0 victory, effectively ending Villa's Premier League campaign on a low note.