McGinn takes positives from second-half showing

FixturesBrighton and Hove Albion Vs. Aston Villa - Sun, Aug 23 2026, 14:00John McGinn pointed to the positives from a resolute second-half performance following a tough opening-day Premier League loss at Brighton & Hove Albion. Aston Villa started well at the Amex Stadium but were undone by mistakes as the hosts scored four goals without reply in the first half. A red card five minutes before the break added to the team’s woes, but they fought their way through the second half with no further damage inflicted.McGinn said the second-half performance gave the squad something to build upon going forward. “We actually started the game really well,” he reflected. “We had a chance to go ahead with Emi and we were the ones creating the chances, but we’re playing at the highest level. “We made a mistake - they happen - and the goals we conceded were poor, there’s no getting away from that.“We obviously apologise to the supporters, it’s not easy to travel. It 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 by half-time. “On the flip side, 4-0 down at the Amex with ten men, we really had to stand up in the second half. We had a chance to puff our chests out, be men and fight, and we did that. “We’re obviously disappointed. We’ve set standards, and that’s far, far away from that. “There’s a part of me that’s proud of how we reacted because today could have gotten away from us and got messy. A lot of pride in the second-half performance.”