Matt Maher analysis: Tired Aston Villa stumble towards line but Champions League in sight
The sole consolation from Villa’s worst performance of the season is it was probably of no serious consequence.
At least not in their pursuit of Champions League football, which is now just three points away from being guaranteed after rivals Tottenham suffered their latest defeat.
That result, which came around two-and-a-half hours after Villa had gone down 1-0 at Brighton, will have raised the spirits of Unai Emery and his players, albeit with the acceptance a big chance to seal fourth place once and for all had gone begging.
Victory at the Amex Stadium would have seen Villa achieve their main priority of the campaign. In the second half as the clock ticked down and their hosts, the better team throughout, continued to see opportunities go begging, you wondered whether this was going to be another of those late shows at which Emery’s team have been so good this term.
Yet aside from a marginal offside call which saw John McGinn have a goal ruled out, the moment never looked like arriving for the visitors.
It did, eventually, for their opponents. Joao Pedro took advantage of some fortune to head home the rebound after Robin Olsen had saved his penalty to earn Brighton a deserved victory.
