Aston Villa edged Brighton 1-0 at Villa Park, where James Milner’s record-equalling Premier League appearance ended in disappointment. A late Jack Hinshelwood own goal settled a tight match, denying Brighton a point while Milner drew level with Gareth Barry on 653 appearances in the competition.
The landmark appearance carried extra meaning for Milner, who joined Barry at the top of the Premier League list after coming off the bench. Milner, a former Aston Villa and Manchester City midfielder, can move clear on 654 games if selected against Brentford on February 21, yet Brighton’s league struggles continued.
The decisive incident arrived four minutes from the end, as Aston Villa finally broke through from a corner. Leon Bailey’s delivery found
Tyrone Mings, whose header diverted across goal. The ball struck Hinshelwood and went in, handing Villa all three points and Brighton a fourth own goal of this league season.
That misfortune added to an already difficult campaign, as Brighton’s four Premier League own goals now match the total from the previous two seasons combined, with no team recording more this term. The late setback also stretched Brighton’s poor league sequence to one win in 13 matches, with six draws and six defeats.
The match itself lacked rhythm for long spells, especially before half-time. Milner entered midway through a first period with few clear openings. Morgan Rogers drew a save from Bart Verbruggen from a tight angle, while an Emiliano Buendia strike, helped by a deflection, flashed just past the post for the hosts.
After the interval Brighton raised the tempo and created better chances. Kaoru Mitoma bent a shot just wide, then Ferdi Kadioglu forced Emiliano Martinez to tip a dipping long-range effort onto the crossbar. Hinshelwood blasted over following a swift break, and Milner later curled a shot that Martinez gathered.
| Team | Shots | Shots on target | Expected goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aston Villa | 15 | 1 | 0.67 |
| Brighton | 9 | Not specified | 0.5 |
Neither side created many high-quality chances, and the numbers underlined that lack of cutting edge. Brighton produced nine attempts, generating only 0.5 expected goals. Aston Villa recorded 15 shots and 0.67 xG, yet hit the target just once, reinforcing the sense that fortune might decide the outcome.
653 - James Milner has equalled Gareth Barry's record for the most appearances made in Premier League history. Timeless. pic.twitter.com/BmTEQb0FfGOptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 11, 2026
Villa’s narrow win, earned through a deflected late set-piece, contrasted with Milner’s personal achievement on a historic night. Brighton left with no reward despite periods of control, while Villa capitalised on one key moment. Attention now turns to Brentford on February 21, when Milner has the chance to claim the Premier League appearance record outright.
