Aston Villa vs Brighton

The Villa Park floodlights will shine on a pivotal Premier League clash this Wednesday, February 11, 2026, as Unai Emery’s Aston Villa hosts Fabian Hürzeler’s Brighton & Hove Albion. Kick-off is set for 19:30 GMT.

With Villa (3rd, 46 points) firmly entrenched in a three-way title race alongside Arsenal and Manchester City, every point is vital. Brighton (13th, 31 points) arrives in the West Midlands looking to bridge the gap toward the European places after a string of resilient draws.

Match Information

Aston Villa: Maintaining the Title Charge

Unai Emery’s side has been the division's model of consistency, sitting just seven points off the summit with 14 games to play. Despite a recent scoreless draw against Crystal Palace, the Villans remain a formidable force at home, where their tactical discipline and clinical transition play have dismantled many of the league’s elite.

Team News and Selection:

• The Watkins Boost: After a minor hamstring scare in European competition, Ollie Watkins returned to full training this week and is expected to lead the line. He has a historic affinity for this fixture, having netted seven goals in his last nine league meetings with Brighton.

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

• Injury Concerns: Young talent Alysson Edward remains sidelined with a knock.

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

Brighton: The Resilience of the Seagulls

Under the guidance of the Premier League's youngest-ever manager, Fabian Hürzeler, Brighton has adopted a more pragmatically fluid approach. While they currently sit 13th, their underlying stats suggest they are underperforming their Expected Goals ($xG$)—a trend they’ll be desperate to reverse at Villa Park.

Team News and Selection:

• Midfield Absences: The Seagulls will be without Yasin Ayari (shoulder) and Mats Wieffer (toe), both of whom are ruled out until late February.

• The Striker Question: Veteran Danny Welbeck remains the primary goal threat, but the creativity of Kaoru Mitoma and Brajan Gruda will be essential to bypass Villa’s high line.

• Injury Ward: Solly March, Adam Webster, and Stefanos Tzimas remain on the long-term absentee list.

• Predicted XI (4-3-3): Verbruggen; Veltman, Van Hecke, Dunk, Kadıoğlu; Hinshelwood, Baleba, Diego Gómez; Minteh, Welbeck, Mitoma.

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

• Reverse Fixture: Villa edged a thrilling 4–3 victory at the Amex Stadium in early December 2025.

• The Watkins Factor: Ollie Watkins has scored as many goals in this fixture (7) as Brighton has managed as a team in their last nine encounters.

• Recent Form: Villa has kept 6 clean sheets this season, while Brighton has struggled for defensive stability, recording only 5.

• Referee Watch: Peter Bankes will take the whistle; he is known for letting the game flow, but with the high stakes of a title race, expect a fiery atmosphere.

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 Morgan Rogers. Brighton’s best chance lies in their ability to dominate the ball; if Carlos Baleba can control the tempo, they may find joy against a Villa defense that can occasionally be caught static in the "mid-block."

However, given Villa's title ambitions and their historical dominance in this fixture, it is hard to look past a home win that keeps the pressure on Arsenal and Manchester City.

Final Score Prediction: Aston Villa 2–1 Brighton