'Next time' – Fabian Hurzeler reacts to boos from Brighton fans after Aston Villa defeat

Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler was baffled by the boos that greeted his team after the 3-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.

On-loan Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford set Villa on course for a comprehensive win over fellow European hopefuls Brighton with a 51st-minute finish at the Amex Stadium.

Villa substitutes Marco Asensio and Donyell Malen sealed victory on the south coast as the visitors leapfrogged the Seagulls into seventh spot by extending their winning run to six games in all competitions.

Brighton had their moments and hit a post through Yasin Ayari’s first-half free-kick and were later denied an equaliser when Simon Adingra’s close-range effort was disallowed following VAR intervention due to an adjudged handball by Kaoru Mitoma.

It was a painful loss for Brighton and it followed swiftly from Saturday’s FA Cup quarter-final penalty shootout loss to Nottingham Forest.

Frustrated Seagulls fans greeted the full-time whistle with jeers. Albion boss Hurzeler said: “I don’t know for who the boos were for.

“We tried everything on the pitch, that’s what we always try to do.

“The fans, I don’t know to who they reacted but we have to do it the next time better so they don’t boo any more.

“The first goal changed the momentum of the game, for sure. Games like this the first goal can make the difference.

“If we shot the first goal, we might sit here with a different outcome.”

The game was interrupted by a number of lengthy VAR incidents – including Adingra’s disallowed effort – which often impacted the flow of the match.

Hurzeler added: “I think the decisions they made were right. But, of course, it breaks the rhythm and it takes really, really long. You have to stay calm, but everyone who plays football is on the pitch and is emotionally involved. It's not that easy.

"Of course, afterwards, it's easy to say, yes, we have to stay calm and try to focus on the game, but sometimes it's not that easy, especially when all the little things go against you.

"You want to force it in some moments, and therefore we didn't always have the right answer.”

Brighton are next in action at old rivals Crystal Palace this Saturday. Is that the perfect match to hit back? “Yes,” said the Albion boss.

For your next Albion read: Brighton player ratings after Aston Villa defeat: plenty of 5s and one 4 after horror debut