'Angry and disappointed' - John McGinn apologises to fans after Aston Villa hammered 4-0 at Brighton

Villa endured a nightmare start to their 2026-27 Premier League campaign after being dismantled 4-0 by Brighton at the Amex Stadium on Sunday. The visitors conceded four goals in a chaotic first half, undone by a Victor Lindelof own goal, a Maxim De Cuyper strike, and a quick-fire double from Jack Hinshelwood. Matters worsened significantly for the Europa League holders when debutant midfielder Gomes was shown a straight red card for violent conduct shortly before the interval.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the final whistle, the Villa captain pulled no punches over his side's defensive capitulation and offered an apology to the travelling supporters.

Reflecting on the opening-half horror show and their second-half fight, McGinn said: "We started the game very well. Had the chance to go ahead with Emiliano [Buendia]. We were the ones to create the chances. But playing at the highest level, when you make a mistake, they happen. The goals we concded were poor, there's no getting away from that.

"Going away in the Premier League, we obviously apologise to the supporters, it's not easy to travel, costs a lot of money, takes a lot of time. And they don't want to come here and see their team lose by four goals before half-time.

"But on the flipside, 4-0 down at the Amex with 10 men, we had to stand up in the second half and the squad of players in there, we had a chance to puff our chests out, be men and fight and we did that.

"We're obviously angry and disappointed at the result. We set high standards and that's far away from that. However, there's a bit of me that's proud at how we reacted. Today could easily have got away from us and got messy. A lot of pride in the second-half performance. After five games last season, we had one point. Hopefully this season can go the same way as that."

The heavy defeat landed as a bitter reality check following a summer exodus that saw key figures Morgan Rogers, Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans, and Lucas Digne all leave the club.

Assessing his side's sudden first-half unraveling, Emery said: "We started the first 10-15 minutes very well. Then I can't understand exactly why we lost in 20 minutes all the match and a player. But this is the process we have."

The Spanish tactician added: "We know football is not easy, we know four years working here at Villa we have to work in difficult moments as well. Always, we recover. The response on the field in the second half, I'm really happy. The players they didn't give up, they worked it, showed good commitment and kept going."

Emery must swiftly address his team's defensive frailties and disciplinary lapses before welcoming champions Arsenal to Villa Park on August 31. Gomes' impending suspension leaves the manager short of options in the middle of the park, increasing the urgency for reinforcements before the summer transfer window slams shut.