On his 200th appearance for Aston Villa, Tyrone Mings was at the heart of a crucial moment that handed Unai Emery’s side all three points in their Premier League clash with Brighton.
While the goal wasn’t officially credited to Mings, his well-timed glance redirected Leon Bailey’s corner kick past Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen, with a deflection off Jack Hinshelwood resulting in an own goal in the 86th minute. This goal ranks as one of Villa’s latest winning strikes in a 1-0 home Premier League victory, following memorable late goals from Andreas Weimann in 2012 and Nolberto Solano in 2005.
Despite the importance of the win, Villa’s overall performance was lackluster, with Brighton posing minimal threat. Emi Buendia’s effort just wide before halftime and Ferdi Kadioglu’s shot that rattled the crossbar were the closest the visitors came to scoring, the latter saved superbly by Emiliano Martinez. The match featured scant clear-cut chances and only a single shot on target from Villa.
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Once again this season, Villa demonstrated the value of their set-piece prowess. It’s not just having skilled delivery from players like Bailey but the meticulous preparation led by set-piece coach Austin MacPhee that sets Villa apart. His detailed planning creates decisive moments in big matches—a key factor as Aston Villa chase a coveted Champions League spot.
In fact, Villa have netted eight Premier League goals from corners this season, ranking just behind Arsenal (14), Tottenham (13), and Chelsea (9).
What stood out most from tonight’s winning goal was Mings’s tactical awareness. He momentarily left the box to communicate with Bailey, who was preparing an in-swinging corner. Upon returning to his position, Mings made the perfect connection to redirect the ball home.
Reflecting on the goal after the match, Bailey told TNT Sports, “Mings said to me to go for the front post, but I was already going to do that! It was great that we got the goal from it.”