Marcus Rashford struck his first Premier League goal for Aston Villa to set his side on course for a comprehensive 3-0 win over fellow European hopefuls Brighton at the Amex Stadium.
The on-loan Manchester United forward added to his brace in Sunday’s 3-0 FA Cup quarter-final success away to Preston by bobbling home a 51st-minute finish after Villa countered from a Seagulls corner.
In-form Marco Asensio doubled the lead 12 minutes from time with his eighth goal in his last seven appearances before fellow substitute Donyell Malen’s maiden goal for the club sealed victory in the 10th minute of added time.
Albion were frustrated to be denied a quick-fire equaliser after Rashford’s milestone goal when winger Simon Adingra’s close-range effort was disallowed following a VAR check due to an adjudged handball by Kaoru Mitoma in the build-up.
Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts also hit the woodwork through Yasin Ayari’s first-half free-kick before slipping to eighth place – a point and a place below Villa – on the back of a first top-flight defeat in two months.
Villa arrived in Sussex buoyed by reaching a first FA Cup semi-final since finishing runners-up 10 years ago, while Albion were seeking a response to the disappointment of a penalty shoot-out exit at home to Nottingham Forest.
Travelling fans wasted little time in taunting home supporters about reaching Wembley during an end-to-end opening in which both sides threatened.
Matty Cash fizzed a rising drive just over with the visitors’ best opportunity, while Adingra’s curling effort drifted narrowly wide at the other end following a swift counter-attack led by Mitoma.
Brighton wanted a penalty in the 28th minute when winger Mitoma was nudged over by right-back Cash.
The incident prompted a disagreement on the touchline as Villa manager Unai Emery took issue with Albion boss Hurzeler leaving his technical area to protest against the decision of referee Stuart Attwell.
Villa had greater reason to feel aggrieved in the 37th minute when Jack Hinshelwood, who had already been booked, appeared to bring down Jacob Ramsey in the box, only to somehow escape punishment following a VAR review.
Midfielder Ayari almost gave Albion a 42nd-minute lead but his 20-yard free-kick, after being hauled down by Boubacar Kamara, was touched on to the post by Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
The away side seized the initiative just six minutes into the second period with a route-one counter-attack launched by Martinez.
After comfortably catching Jan Paul van Hecke’s header from a Seagulls corner, the Argentinian World Cup winner rolled the ball to Morgan Rogers, whose long, diagonal ball sent England international Rashford racing clear to scuff beyond Bart Verbruggen.
The Seagulls thought they had equalised four minutes later.
However, following Attwell’s trip to the pitch-side monitor, Mitoma was deemed to have handled Ayari’s lofted pass into the box, prior to Adingra sweeping home after Martinez failed to claim the loose ball.
Having initially responded well to falling behind, Brighton were dealt a knockout blow in the 78th minute.
Defender Eiran Cashin, on for his Brighton debut in place of captain Lewis Dunk, was caught out trying to intercept Cash’s ball forward, allowing Rogers to race down the right and pick out prolific Paris St Germain loanee Asensio, who calmly found the bottom right corner with a fine, first-time finish.
Brighton were given 10 minutes of added time to find a way back into the contest.
But the hosts rarely threatened to set up a tense finale before Netherlands forward Malen compounded their misery by thumping a low shot into the bottom left corner to secure Villa’s sixth successive victory in all competitions.
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