Brighton came into this encounter high on confidence, albeit with little to play for, having already confirmed a top-six finish and a place in the UEFA Europa League for next season.
However, with Villa needing a win to guarantee seventh and qualify for a place in the UECL qualification stages, the urgency from the hosts showed from the off and they took a vital early lead in the eighth minute when Jacob Ramsey ran down the left to perfectly pick out Douglas Luiz inside the area who side footed home with aplomb.
The opener also ensured that Brighton’s 53-year wait for a clean sheet at Villa Park continued.
The visitors responded well and thought they had equalised when Julio Enciso’s cross was turned home by Deniz Undav in the 20th minute, but it was correctly ruled offside following a quick VAR review to keep Villa’s European prospects alive.
That scare for the hosts notably injected some further impetus, and Villa duly doubled their lead on 27 minutes when Ollie Watkins tapped home into an empty net after yet another superb run and assist by birthday boy Ramsey.
However, despite another VAR review, Undav would get his goal - and fifth in his last eight PL appearances- on 38 minutes when Pascal Groß teed up the German to equalise and keep the Seagulls in contention going into HT.
Villa were not only chasing a place in the UECL but were also on course to complete seven straight PL home wins for the first time since February 1993.
With the pressure firmly on the hosts, they began the second half cagey and happy to play on the counter rather than leave themselves thin at the back.
Despite trailing, Brighton were enjoying themselves and having made four second-half substitutions were seemingly happy to experiment rather than go all out for an equaliser.
With just 15 minutes remaining, the home fans were nervously preparing to celebrate their club’s long-awaited return to European football, but the match remained in the balance and tensions remained.
The visitors remained dangerous but with the prize of UECL football now so close, Villa were giving it everything and remained resolute at the back.
Despite six nervy minutes of stoppage time they closed out for the win, much to the ecstasy of the Villa faithful.
The win deservedly completed Emery’s transformation of the Villans, and marked the return of continental competition to Villa Park for next season.
Meanwhile, with the result itself irrelevant for the Seagulls, Robert De Zerbi's Brighton will now look forward to European football after a superb season.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Jacob Ramsey (Aston Villa)
