Brighton 1 Aston Villa 1 - Report and pictures

The skipper blasted home with 15 minutes remaining as Dean Smith’s came from behind to take a point on the road for only the second time this season.

Leandro Trossard had earlier fired the hosts in front after Grealish had missed the chance to put Villa ahead.

Debutant Pepe Reina saved late on from Neal Maupay to deny Brighton victory but for Villa this was very much a deserved point.

Analysis

The result means Villa remain in the bottom three by a point but Smith will still take plenty of encouragement from his team’s performance in the second half.

It was, a the very least, the kind of response his team needed after the 6-1 humbling at the hands of Manchester City a week previously.

Playing for the third straight game without a recognised striker, Villa once more lacked a focal point in attack, though they still carved out the first real chance of the match when Grealish, clean through, pulled his shot wide.

Trossard put the home side in front barely 60 seconds later and it looked like being a decisive strike until Grealish made amends for his earlier miss, following excellent work from substitute Douglas Luiz.

Reina, making his first appearance since joining on loan from Milan, then saved from Maupay to preserve a point and ensure Villa have a semblance of momentum heading into Tuesday’s home game with Watford, the team one place above them in the table.

It was only the second time, after December's 2-2 draw at Manchester United, they have salvaged anything from a losing position on their travels.

Reina, making his first Premier League appearance since Liverpool’s 1-0 win over QPR in September 2013, was one of five changes to the Villa team that had been beaten by City.

There were also recalls for Trezeguet, Marvelous Nakamba, Frederic Guilbert and the fit-again Matt Targett.

Neil Taylor, Luiz, Conor Hourihane and Orjan Nyland all dropped to the bench, while Ahmed Elmohamady missed out altogether.

Even during a slow start to the game it was Brighton who held the upper hand and looked the more threatening.

Reina’s first action was to punch the ball away from the head of Maupay following a moment of hesitation in the Villa defence.

There were further escapes when Aaron Mooy’s low cross was hacked clear amid a cluster of players, while Aaron Connolly was unable to redirect Maupay’s low centre the right side of the post.

Yet for all that, it was Villa who carved out the game’s first clear cut chance. Anwar El Ghazi’s long ball over the top set Grealish running through the middle but after holding off the challenges of two defenders, he sent his shot the wrong side of the post.

It proved a pivotal moment as just 60 seconds later Brighton were in front. Maupay was allowed to run at the Villa defence and play in Trossard, who hit a first time left-footed finish beyond Reina and inside the far post.

It was a huge blow for the visitors, yet they still missed a good chance to go in level at the break when El Ghazi headed Targett’s free-kick wide of the post.

Villa began the second half with more purpose in attack, though again their finishing left plenty to be desired, with Danny Drinkwater sending a shot from the edge of the box well over the bar after good work by Trezeguet.

Smith brought on Indiana Vassilev and Luiz as he tried to give his team more impetus in the final third and it was the latter who was instrumental in the leveller.

The Brazilian leveller raced to keep the ball on the right flank and whipped in a cross which was missed by Adam Webster, allowing Grealish to blast a fierce, first time left-footed shot inside the near post.

Villa looked the more likely to go on and win it at that point but Reina was still required to deny Maupay, who left the field at the final whistle visibly frustrated and risking a red card following a bust-up with former Brentford team-mate Ezri Konsa.

Key Moments

38 GOAL Leandro Trossard fires Brighton in front, after being played in by Neal Maupay.

75 GOAL Jack Grealish brings Villa level. Douglas Luiz keeps the ball in play on the right flank which is missed by the home defence. Grealish hammers home a first time left-footed finish.

Teams

Brighton (4-2-3-1): Ryan, Alzate, Dunk, Webster, Bernardo, Mooy (Murray 82), Stephens, Trossard (Gross 82), Connolly (Montoya 68), Propper, Maupay Subs not used: Duffy, Bissouma, Gross, Jahanbakhsh, Murray, Button (gk).

Villa (3-4-3): Reina, Konsa, Mings, Hause, Guilbert, Nakamba (Hourihane 85), Drinkwater (Luiz 68), Targett, Trezeguet (Vassilev 68), El Ghazi, Grealish Subs not used: Taylor, Chester, Lansbury, Nyland (gk).