All four goals arrived in a blistering first-half spell. An own goal from Victor Lindelöf in the eighth minute opened the scoring, before Maxim De Cuyper doubled the lead ten minutes later.
Jack Hinshelwood then struck twice in quick succession around the half-hour mark, completing a ruthless 31-minute blitz that left Villa reeling. The visitors’ afternoon worsened further when João Gomes was sent off in the 40th minute on his Premier League debut.
Brighton controlled the contest from the outset and capitalised clinically on Villa’s defensive errors. The Seagulls created a series of clear chances and converted four of them before the break, rendering the second half a formality.
Aston Villa struggled to recover from the early setbacks and were reduced to ten men before half-time. Despite periods of resistance after the interval, they were unable to create meaningful threat against a well-organised Brighton side.
The result gives Brighton three points and a strong start under Fabian Hürzeler. Villa, meanwhile, face an early inquest after a difficult opening to the new campaign.
Hinshelwood’s brace and De Cuyper’s contribution were the standout moments in a dominant home performance. Brighton will look to build on this result in the coming fixtures, while Villa will seek a rapid response.