Premier League 2025-2026: Aston Villa-Brighton, the likely lineups

Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m. Villa Park lights up for the match between Aston Villa and Brighton, valid for the 26th round of the Premier League. Unai Emery’s boys want to take advantage of the field factor to give a strong signal to the league and consolidate their position in the standings, on the other hand Brighton arrive at perhaps the most complicated moment of their season.

After the defeat in the match against Crystal Palace, the Seagulls slipped to 14th. Although Fabian Hürzeler’s team continues to offer proactive soccer, it is paying dearly for defensive inattentions.

Emery has to deal with a rather crowded infirmary that will force him to redesign the team: the heaviest absences concern the midfield, where John McGinn, Youri Tielemans and Boubacar Kamara will be missing. The midfield will be all on the shoulders of Onana and Douglas Luiz, who will have the delicate task of maintaining the’balance between the wards. Up front, on the other hand, there is no doubt: Ollie Watkins will lead the’attack supported by the creativity of Sancho and Rogers.

The situation for Brighton is also not the best. The list of absentees is long, and Hürzeler will have to do without Webster, Wieffer and March, while the presence of defender Van Hecke remains in strong doubt. The keys to the team will be entrusted to Baleba and Gross. In the forwards, however, hopes of hurting the hosts rest on Welbeck’s experience, the mainstay of the attack, and Mitoma&#8217s speed.

Probable lineups
ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Onana, Douglas Luiz; Sancho, Rogers, Buendia; Watkins. All. Emery
BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen; De Cuyper, Boscagli, Dunk, Kadioglu; Baleba, Gross; Mitoma, Rutter, Gomez; Welbeck. All. Hürzeler