‘Call his agent’: Emery feels Watkins should explain absence from Villa’s rout by Brighton

Aston Villa suffered a 4‑0 defeat at Brighton on Sunday, a result that was compounded by the absence of England forward Ollie Watkins. Manager Unai Emery, dealing with injuries to Brian Madjo and Tammy Abraham, left Watkins out of the match‑day squad as the striker weighs a potential transfer to Saudi Arabian side Al‑Hilal. The decision left Emery to deploy attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendía as an emergency No 9, a move that failed to spark the Villa attack.

The loss was sealed early, with Brighton taking the lead within the first half‑hour and extending their advantage before halftime. Villa’s new signing João Gomes was dismissed on his debut after a violent clash with Brighton striker Georginio Rutter, receiving a red card in the 40th minute. The combination of a depleted forward line, Watkins’ uncertain future, and disciplinary setbacks contributed to Villa’s inability to recover, leaving the club to regroup ahead of their next fixture.