Europa League winners Aston Villa hammered 4-0 by Brighton on opening day

Brighton put four past Aston Villa before half-time at the Amex on 23 August 2026, with Jack Hinshelwood scoring twice in two minutes. Villa, reduced to ten men, began their 2026-27 campaign as reigning Europa League winners. BBC Match of the Day pundits Danny Murphy, Gabby Logan and Joe Hart called the performance "woeful."