Brighton 0-3 Aston Villa: Marcus Rashford scores his FIRST Premier League goal since loan move - as he, Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen steer Unai Emery's side up to seventh

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There are not many clubs in Europe, let alone the Premier League, who can send on players as talented as Ollie Watkins and Marco Asensio when things need switching up.

Yet Unai Emery has exactly those options on his bench and they helped carry Aston Villa another step towards their targets on three fronts.

So many managers across the world would trade their squad with Emery’s today and that depth is why Villa are also in the FA Cup semi-finals and face a Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain, with the first leg in France next Wednesday. They are only two points short of fifth place, which is likely to bring Champions League football next term.

After Asensio’s fellow loan star Marcus Rashford had given Villa the lead with his first league goal for the club, the Spaniard scored his eighth in all competitions and fellow substitute Donyell Malen added a third in stoppage time. That made it six wins in a row for Emery’s men, and a third in two games for Rashford since joining from Manchester United in the winter.

‘Now is not the time to speak about it (Rashford joining permanently),’ said Emery. ‘It’s not the same decision if we are in the Champions League next season, as opposed to the Europa League, the Conference League or not in Europe at all.

‘He is here because he wanted to be here, to play football, feel confident and try to help us. We signed him because we were thinking about how much he could help us.

Marcus Rashford roars with delight after scoring his first Premier League goal for Aston Villa

Rashford broke the deadlock on 51 minutes with this finish against Brighton and Hove Albion

The forward, on loan from Man United, was congratulated by his Villa team-mates 

‘By the end of the season, hopefully we can get the best for him and for us, in different competitions. If he gets back to his best level here, I am happy for him and the team.’

Brighton had their moments. Yasin Ayari hit the post and Simon Adingra had a goal controversially ruled out by VAR for a handball by Kaoru Mitoma in the build-up, yet Villa were deserved winners.

They have laboured for much of the campaign yet look the business now.

After scoring twice in the FA Cup win at Preston, Rashford kept his place as Villa’s central striker ahead of Watkins.

Midway through the half, Mitoma set up Simon Adingra for a 20-yard effort that nearly grazed the post and Emery was growing agitated. The Villa boss was unhappy with Albion chief Fabian Hurzeler wandering outside his technical area and gestured forcefully for the German to return.

Emery’s mood did not improve when Jack Hinshelwood appeared to trip Jacob Ramsey in the box. After a long VAR check, referee Stuart Attwell was told to stick with his original call.

If Villa were unlucky there, they got away with one just before half-time. Yasin Ayari’s free-kick twanged the post and the rebound bounced off Ramsey’s arm. Once again, no penalty.

Where Rashford had been on his heels at the start of the first half, he was right on the money early in the second to give Villa the lead.

Marco Asensio (right) scored the visitors second with this finish on 78 minutes on Wednesday

Asensio is thriving with the Villians since joining from Paris Saint-Germain on loan

Donyell Malen (right) added a third deep into second-half stoppage-time to complete the win

The Netherlands international's goal helped Villa move up to seventh in the Premier League

When a Brighton corner was cleared to Morgan Rogers, the attacker hit an outstanding long pass with his weaker left foot to send Rashford scampering behind the Albion back line. With Verbruggen back-pedalling, Rashford did not catch his finish cleanly yet it was enough to deceive the goalkeeper.

Four minutes later, Albion thought they had levelled. Ayari’s clipped pass struck Mitoma on the upper arm and as Emi Martinez lunged forward, he palmed straight to Adingra, who thrashed in the loose ball. Attwell was called to the monitor and decided Mitoma’s intervention was both illegal and deliberate.

Villa sent on Watkins and Asensio on the hour and Asensio sealed it expertly with a first-time finish when Rogers’ cut-back arrived. Thankfully for the visitors, it survived the VAR check and Malen smashed in the third at the end of added time. 

Villa’s season is gathering pace.