Aston Villa may be favourites for Champions League but they are looking jaded

A tired-looking Aston Villa may remain favourites for Champions League qualification over Tottenham but the effect of a draining Europa Conference League encounter with Olympiakos was plain in defeat to Brighton.

If Villa had won, Tottenham would have had to win away to Liverpool to keep their own chances of a top four finish alive. But Unai Emery’s side were flat and it did not help their cause that Brighton gave one of their most convincing performances for many weeks.

It felt long overdue when top scorer Joao Pedro headed the winner from close range in the 87th minute after Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen had saved his penalty kick. Unusually, the home side did not dominate possession, but they managed 15 efforts at goal to Villa’s two, and eight were on target to Villa’s one.

Brighton know all too well how difficult it is to win a Sunday game after a Thursday European tie. They only managed it twice in eight attempts this season on the weekend after a Europa League match. But this was still a result that ripped up the form book, Brighton having won only one of the nine Premier League meetings between the clubs. And they had been in dreadful recent form: their only goal in an April that brought just two points was scored against his own team by Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric.

Simon Adingra forced an early save from Olsen after taking a pass from Joao Pedro and unleashing a fierce shot. Then Adam Webster glanced a header goalward from Billy Gilmour’s corner that flicked off Danny Welbeck – making his 200th Premier League start – and just over the bar.

Villa had been reduced to the occasional hopeful forward ball in the direction of Ollie Watkins, and even a reshuffle caused by the departure through injury of Morgan Rogers after 25 minutes seemed to make little difference. Watkins did trick his way past Lewis Dunk once, but was then crowded out by a combination of Joel Veltman and Webster and Brighton ended up building a promising attack that Pau Torres ended with a crude foul on Pedro.

However, the home side’s forays forward gradually began to slow down as the first half went on, with players taking one touch too many and opting for the safe pass when a shot was on. After 39 minutes, for example, Adingra won possession high up the pitch but at least five Brighton players resisted the temptation to let fly before Veltman’s low cross was cut out.

Pedro’s early chip over the defence in added time before the interval that gave Adingra a chance to volley – held by Olsen – was an exception, but it was one that Brighton noted. Adingra’s own quick pass put Pascal Gross through only for Olsen to parry the Germany midfield player’s shot.

Villa had had only one effort at goal in the first half but began the second playing farther forward. That, of course, gave Brighton more space to attack and Adingra put in two dangerous crosses that Villa defended at full stretch, while Olsen saved when Pedro was through.

Substitute Julio Enciso then skied the ball over the bar when an earlier shot was on, and Gross had a goal disallowed when VAR ruled that he had been ahead of the ball when Igor Julio crossed, although some images made it look otherwise.

Yet somehow Villa were beginning to look more dangerous, and it was their turn to have a goal chalked off despite John McGinn finding the net after a Brighton clearance was blocked.

Brighton could have retreated into a defensive shell at that point but it is hardly their style under Roberto De Zerbi and Adingra made an opening for himself then did not try to hit it, and Welbeck headed Julio’s cross just wide.

Six minutes from time, Ezri Konsa barged Adingra over and Joao Pedro stepped up to take the penalty. His previously perfect record from the spot for Brighton was foiled by Olsen’s save, but the ball looped up for the Brazil striker to head home anyway, his 20th goal of the season in all competitions.