I’ll leave you with John Brewin’s report from Villa Park. Bye!
As does John McGinn
The shirt’s still heavy, don’t worry about that! This season we haven’t played that well but everything clicked today. When we had the tactics meeting this morning I thought it’d either be 6-1 to us or 6-1 to them. Thankfully it was 6-1 to us.
We watched West Ham [punish Brighton on the counter-attack]. You have to respect Brighton, they’re one of the best teams in the league. They’re amazing on the ball; they’ll be fighting for top four, definitely. We played to our strengths, with Moussa and Ollie up front. They can have the ball but as long as we win it back and use it well, it doesnae really matter. The manager is really keen that, we win it back, we tried and get in behind the opposition.
[On working with Unai Emery] For someone like me, who’s never experienced that level of detail – where your body shape is, your positioning, are you offside or onside – it’s amazing. He doesn’t miss a trick. He’s obsessed with football and he wants us to be as well. Sometimes you need a wee break. Thankfully I’ve got a couple of days off now! He’s transformed this place and it’s a pleasure to work under him.
We were unhappy with our start to the season, more the way we played than the results. Today showed we had plenty more gears to go up.
The lads will tell you that Villa Park is a demanding place to play. They’ll let you know if you’re not playing well! I think the manager has educated the supporters a bit; he’s pleaded with them to be patient and they’ve bought in the bit. There are times in games when we bore the fans to tears – but when we go, we go. Thankfully this place is becoming a fortress.
"He's obsessed with football!" 🙌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 30, 2023
John McGinn talks Unai Emery's influence following Aston Villa's astonishing 6-1 win over Brighton!
🎙️ @lynseyhipgrave1 | @petercrouch pic.twitter.com/EpYK24kTGo
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Ollie Watkins talks to TNT Sports
What a performance. We weren’t so good in midweek but we bounced back here against a tough team who played some great stuff. It’s a really good result. I didn’t know [Gareth Southgate] was here. I just try to perform and I want to score every game. There have been a few games this season when I should have scored and I came off disappointed. The good thing is there’s always the next game to try to put it right.
[On a potential new contract] Look, what goes on off the pitch is other news. I try to let my football do the talking. My goal is to score goals and help the team at the end of the day.
"Collectively as a team, we were second to none!" 🙌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 30, 2023
Ollie Watkins on 'perfect day at the office' after scoring a hat-trick for Aston Villa against Brighton!
🎙️ @julesbreach pic.twitter.com/ZLMEDS4NFQ
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2 - Ollie Watkins is the first player to score two hat-tricks in a single season in all competitions for Aston Villa since Andy Gray in 1976-77. Clinical. pic.twitter.com/WpUG8BqYsn
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 30, 2023
The players are getting a standing ovation from a rightly delirious home crowd. Villa have become such an impressive team, and indeed club.
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The team news is in for the 3pm games. Barry Glendenning will tell you all you need to know.
Full time: Aston Villa 6-1 Brighton
Aston Villa make it ten straight league wins at Villa Park with a clinical dismantling of Brighton. Ollie Watkins scored a hat-trick, with Pervis Estupinan, Jacob Ramsey and the newly prolific Douglas Luiz getting the others.
Brighton had one of those days. VAR wasn’t their friend – Villa’s third goal should have been disallowed, maybe the second too – but ultimately they were well beaten. Villa were pretty magnificent.
What a fine player Douglas Luiz has become. This was a pretty routine finish but he has again been superb. McGinn made the chance with a stealthy through pass to Watkins. His shot was very well saved by Steele but Douglas Luiz rolled the loose ball into the net from the edge of the area.
GOAL! Aston Villa 6-1 Brighton (Douglas Luiz 90+7)
And that’s Blockbusters.
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90+6 min “Hi Rob,” says Nora Mulcahy. “The kit doesn’t seem to be weighing Villa down today!”
90+5 min Duran is booked for kicking the ball away. When his team are 5-1 up. I suppose it’s just instinct for most footballers.
90+1 min: Brighton substitution Carlos Baleba replaces Jack Hinshelwood.
90 min: Villa substitution Youri Tielemans replaces the quietly influential Boubacar Kamara. There will be eight minutes of added time.
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89 min “How I know Villa are doing well: when I look at the league table on my phone, I don’t need to expand it to see where Villa are,” says Tony Hughes. “We. Are. Fourth!”
This is the best Villa team since, when, 2009-10? 1995-96? 1992-93?
88 min Brighton don’t do things by halves. Their last five league defeats have been 5-1, 3-1, 2-1, 4-1 and 5-1.
What a finish from Jacob Ramsey! 🤩
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 30, 2023
Aston Villa have run away with this game! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/N7fcgeFfdG
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It came – of course it did – on the counter. After a couple of quick passes in transition, Watkins fed the ball to Ramsey in the inside-left channel. He used the overlapping Digne by not using him, cutting inside on the edge of the area to curl a sweet shot that went into the net off the inside of the far post.
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GOAL! Aston Villa 5-1 Brighton (Ramsey 85)
Jacob Ramsey makes it five with a lovely goal!
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84 min Mitoma is booked for dissent after being penalised for a perceived foul on Cash.
83 min Adingra cuts inside and whips a left-footed curler from 20 yards that is acrobatically fingertipped over the bar by Martinez. Good save.
79 min Lewis Dunk has been booked, presumably for dissent. Brighton have been both well beaten and hard done by, if that isn’t a contradiction.
78 min: Villa substitution Jhon Duran replaces Moussa Diaby, who went down a couple of minutes ago and has been taken off as a precaution. Diaby was excellent, again.
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77 min It hit Cash’s elbow, which was close enough to his body to satisfy VAR.
77 min Brighton appeal unsuccessfully for a penalty when Mitoma’s shot hits Cash. We haven’t seen a replay yet, but VAR are happy with the decision.
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76 min Diaby beats the outrushing Steele to the ball on the left edge of the area, but his cross is headed away by Webster. It feels like there are more goals in this.
75 min Brighton’s next two games are Marseille away on Thursday and Liverpool at home next Sunday. Villa host Zrinjski and then go to Wolves a week tomorrow.
74 min McGinn flattens Mitoma. The referee allows play to continue and Brighton start passing it around again. It probably wasn’t enough for a yellow card.
71 min Ansu Fati is booked for a retaliatory kick at Konsa. I say ‘kick’, he barely moved his foot. A yellow card is right.
71 min The fourth goal has knocked the hope out of Brighton. Digne has a chance to put Watkins through again but overhits his pass.
69 min Gilmour snaps an excellent early pass to Mitoma on the left side of the area. He goes outside Cash and blasts wide from a very tight angle.
68 min McGinn’s shirt will be heavy today; he’s put a helluva shift in. But his game is about a lot more than energy – he made the first and fourth goals with fine passes.
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It came – of course it did – on the break. Watkins gave the ball to McGinn in the centre circle, and he rumbled forward ibefore lofting a superb reverse pass to Watkins on the right side of the area. He cut inside, on his left foot, and hit a low shot that deflected off Webster and looped over Steele. The shot was on target so it’s Watkins’s goal. And his hat-trick.
GOAL! Aston Villa 4-1 Brighton (Watkins 65)
Just like that, the game is over and Ollie Watkins has a hat-trick!
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64 min It’s all Brighton now, and a second goal would make this exceedingly interesting.
63 min “Re: your post at half-time,” says Scott Blair. “All I was intending to say was that “One-eyed Seagull” would make a good band name. Then I googled it, and it takes you to a Villains’ website. Which (spookily) is nowt to do with Aston Villa, but tells you that ‘The Seagull is the secondary antagonist of the 2019 psychological horror film The Lighthouse. It is a one-eyed bird that repeatedly harasses Ephraim Winslow during his day-to-day activities’. If I had to find that out, I don’t see why other folk should escape.”
That sounds even scarier than Tattoo.
Here right, did anyone see this film that were on last night about tattoos? pic.twitter.com/eAvDjSh3hz
— The Royle Family (@RoyleFamilyShow) July 14, 2022
62 min: Brighton substitution Simon Adingra comes on for Solly March.
61 min: Chance for Brighton! Mitoma goes on a typically sinuous run infield and is fouled. March’s free-kick is headed back across goal by Mitoma and ricochets to Ansu Fati, whose close-range shot is desperately blocked.
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59 min Brighton have been much better since half-time, with the substitute Joao Pedro energising the whole team. He’s such an impressive player.
58 min “I think John McGinn, off the field, was playing Fati onside,” says Gary Naylor. “Not sure though - who is these days?”
Ah yes, the old Ruud van Nistelrooy offside.
57 min Konsa is booked for timewasting, though he doesn’t agree with the decision.
56 min: Aston Villa substitution Jacob Ramsey replaces Nicolo Zaniolo on the left.
56 min “There was a point in my life when I made a deal to not care about football when supporting my team and I still regret that decision as it made me miserable watching my team,” writes Yash Gupta. “So Brighton’s approach in every game feels really nice. No holding back, doesn’t matter whether they’re playing home or away. However, there’s a time when maybe dropping just 10 yards and inviting the opposition to press might not be a worst idea in football.
“Brighton are at their best because they attract press and create space to attack. In this game Emery however did a number on them by dropping Villa back and Brighton failed to adjust. Doesn’t matter ref’s decision on second and third goal because Villa’s gameplan has been perfect, and Brighton contributed unwittingly.”
55 min That VAR check took an age. Villa win a corner at the other end. Douglas Luiz’s inswinger is headed away by Dunk.
GOAL GIVEN! I’m going to revise the laws of football this week, because I’ve nary a clue. Either way, justice was done.
The ball went backwards when Konsa challenged/fouled Joao Pedro, but Fati was in an offside position. Thing is, if it’s played by Joao Pedro, he might be offside – but that also means Joao Pedro was fouled by Konsa. Can VAR overrule the goal and give a penalty as well?
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VAR check They are checking a) whether the ball went out of play (it didn’t) and b) whether Ansu Fati was offside. I think this might be disallowed.
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Now then. Joao Pedro took a quick free-kick, got the ball back from Mitoma and then sat McGinn down on the byline. His cutback was blocked, then he seemed to be fouled by Konsa. While Brighton were appealing for a penalty, Fati swept the ball into the net from four yards.
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GOAL! Aston Villa 3-1 Brighton (Fati 50)
Ansu Fati gets his first Brighton goal!
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49 min Watkins is back on, though I’m not sure he’s running at full pelt.
47 min While Ollie Watkins receives treatment for an unspecified ailment, here’s a link to today’s bumper clockwatch.
46 min Peep peep! Villa begin the second half.
Brighton have made a triple substitution Tariq Lamptey, Joao Pedro and Ansu Fati are on for Pervis Estupinan, Evan Ferguson and Danny Welbeck.
Half-time reading
That’s right, cricket.
Half time: Aston Villa 3-0 Brighton
Exhilarating stuff from Villa, who harassed Brighton when they didn’t have the ball and destroyed them in transition when they did. Ollie Watkins scored two before Pervis Estupinan deflected Moussa Diaby’s shot into his own net.
Brighton will argue the last two goals should have been disallowed – the third was a dreadful act of VAR negligence – but not even the most one-eyed Seagull would dispute that Villa have been by the far the better side.
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45+3 min Zaniolo’s volley on the turn from a very tight angle is straight at Steele.
45+3 min Watkins roasts Veltman and cuts the ball back to Diaby, whose first-time shot is well blocked by Dunk. Zaniolo’s follow-up is blocked by Gilmour, and moments later McGinn’s curler is chested away by the falling Dunk.
45+2 min “In Forrest Gump’s down home metaphor you did at least know you were going to get some sort of chocolate,” says Niall Mullen. “I’m not sure anyone could have expected the chocolate coloured pungent mess Brighton have served up today.”
Arf. I don’t think they’ve been that bad – Villa have been extremely good, and two of the goals were debatable.
45+1 min Four minutes of added time.
45 min The timing of Villa’s pressing has been particularly impressive. They haven’t done it all the time – Brighton have had more of the ball – but when they have it has usually worked. Most of their chances have come in transition.
41 min Villa continue to smother Brighton, who could do with a pacier centre-forward to offer them some kind of out-ball. Honestly, they’ve been absolutely brilliant.
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41 min This win will move Villa to 15 points, level with Brighton. Unai Emery, who took over less than a year ago, has done a monstrous job.
39 min Welbeck takes his frustration out on Kamara and is booked.
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37 min An increasingly ragged Estupinan fouls Douglas Luiz on the edge of the D. Lucas Digne clips it into the wall, and Douglas Luiz slaps the rebound over the bar.
36 min Brighton have had 57 per cent of the possession, though that’s part of Villa’s gameplan. They’ve been quite superb, dodgy goals or not.
35 min Watkins plays a nice one-two with Cash, forcing Veltman to come across and make an important interception. Villa’s front two look of Watkins and Diaby look so dangerous.
32 min Digne is booked for pulling back March.
31 min: Chance for Villa! Estupinan fouls McGinn 25 yards out. Douglas Luiz flips a clever kick over the wall towards Diaby, whose flying volley is bravely blocked by the outrushing Steele.
30 min “From this performance,” says Jeff Sax, “I would never think Brighton are third in the league.”
That’s what’s so great about them. They’re like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates.
29 min Brighton are always going to have days like this – they lost 5-1 at home to Everton in April – but that shouldn’t detract from the quality of Villa’s performance. They have been absolutely ruthless in transition.
28 min March misses Brighton’s best chance so far. Gilmour clipped a nice pass over the defence to Veltman, who cushioned a first-time header across the face of goal. March got away from Konsa, six yards out, but nodded high over the bar.
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GOAL GIVEN! I think Brighton have been hard done by on the last two goals, although I suppose you could argue Douglas Luiz’s foul on Solly March wasn’t a clear and obvious error. Maybe.
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There was a foul on March in the build-up but it wasn’t given and Villa counter-attacked to devastating effect once again. After good play from Watkins, Diaby shot straight at Steele, then mishit a follow-up that was going well wide until the off-balance Estupinan unwittingly turned it into his own net.
It’s being checked by VAR.
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GOAL! Aston Villa 3-0 Brighton (Estupinan 26 og)
Villa are running riot!
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24 min Villa are killing Brighton in transition. Watkins finds Diaby, whose cross-shot from a tight angle is kicked away by Steele.
There was a VAR check for offside but the goal stands. Zaniolo was standing close to Steele, well offside, so Brighton won’t be thrilled. The angle we saw on TV wasn’t the best but we’ve seen goals disallowed for less.
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A poor touch from Veltman went straight to Diaby on the halfway line. He pushed it out to Watkins on the left, who charged straight for goal. He moved into the area, cut inside both Webster and Veltman and dragged a precise low shot that beat Steele at the near post.
Brilliant from Ollie Watkins! 🤩
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 30, 2023
The Aston Villa star expertly bags his second goal inside 20 minutes! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ytm0BhrLoh
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GOAL! Aston Villa 2-0 Brighton (Watkins 21)
Ollie Watkins gets his second. The first was a team goal, this was almost all his own work.
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20 min Villa are aiming for a tenth consecutive home win in the league, which I think would be a club record. They managed nine during the unlikely title challenge of 1989-90.
17 min: Just wide from Watkins! This is great fun. When Villa win the ball high up the field, Watkins sits Webster down and has a shot blocked. He gets it back, cuts inside Veltman and curls a shot that goes a few yards wide of the far post.
17 min This game is very open. Mitoma also releases March at one end, then Veltman makes a fine tackle on Zaniolo at the other.
16 min “As you say, this match should be fun,” writes Rob K. “Not just the way the two teams play, but some of the individuals involved, especially Mitoma and Diaby. Jhon Durán might not even get on the pitch today, but he will up the ‘fun’ levels if he does - whenever I’ve seen him play he looks as though he will either score a Yeboah-esque volley, start a brawl or get sent off (possibly all three in that order). I was going to excuse him by saying ‘He’s only 19’, but of course, Brighton have a striker a year younger with maturity levels way beyond his age.”
Aye, but Evan Ferguson is not normal. I’ve really enjoyed the little that I’ve seen of Duran; hopefully he, Luis Diaz and friends will be start of a Colombia revival. The world’s a better place when they have a decent team.
That was beautifully worked. McGinn wriggled away from Gilmour infield and threaded a fine pass inside Mitoma release Cash. His low cross was perfect, and Watkins opened his body to steer the ball past Steele from six yards.
It's lift off for Aston Villa! 🤩
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 30, 2023
Ollie Watkins reaches Matty Cash's cross to give his side the lead! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/XbmzoYJk9D
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GOAL! Aston Villa 1-0 Brighton (Watkins 14)
Villa take the lead with a fine team goal!
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13 min Konsa plays a fine pass to release Diaby on the right. He cuts into the area but takes too long trying to find the perfect angle and eventually runs into traffic. That was half a chance.
11 min Diaby surges away from Estupinan and hits a fierce shot that is blocked on the edge of the area by Webster. The ball made a slightly chilling, Mitre-Mouldmaster-on-a-cold-day sound as it hit Webster on the inner thigh, but he seems fine.
10 min Now Kamara is late on Gilmour, though not forcefully enough to warrant a yellow card. Gilmour has already had a load of touches.
9 min Brighton are starting to control the game in their usual patient style. Villa are having to work pretty hard defensively.
7 min Douglas Luiz is booked for leaving an intimidatory one on Gilmour.
6 min: Chance for Estupinan! That’s more like it. Brighton pop the ball around neatly, then Gilmour suddenly flips a pass in behind for Estupinan. He controls it on the run but is off balance – and under pressure from McGinn – when he takes the shot. It’s too close to Martinez, who saves to his left.
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5 min It’s been a quiet start, lots of harmless possession for both teams.
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2 min Villa press Brighton high, forcing Dunk into an error. He allows the ball to run under his feet and out for a throw-in. Nothing comes of it, so I’m not sure what the point of this entry is.
1 min Peep peep! Brighton, specifically Evan Ferguson, kick off from right to left as we watch.
Here come the players, which is as good a time as any to remind you of the teams. I’m not sure there’s a simple way to describe either formation, certainly Brighton’s, so I’ve gone with what feels right. Most places have them down as 4-2-3-1. So sue me.
Aston Villa (4-2-2-2) Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; Kamara, Douglas Luiz; McGinn, Zaniolo; Diaby, Watkins.
Substitutes: Olsen, Diego Carlos, Chambers, Lenglet, Tielemans, Traore, Dendoncker, Ramsey, Duran.
Brighton (4-2-4) Steele; Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan; Hinshelwood, Gilmour; March, Welbeck, Ferguson, Mitoma.
Substitutes: Verbruggen, Lamptey, Igor Julio, van Hecke, Dahoud, Baleba, Joao Pedro, Adingra, Ansu Fati.
Referee Andy Madley.
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Villa be wearing their home kit today. It’s been in the news you know.
Unai Emery talks to TNT Sports
"We want to be competitive and consistent!" 🙌
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 30, 2023
Unai Emery talks goals for Aston Villa this season domestically and in Europe...
🎙️ @lynseyhipgrave1 | @petercrouch pic.twitter.com/Y1b3B80E6W
Roberto De Zerbi on the full debutant Jack Hinshelwood
I love his personality. He is a very young guy but he has big potential, big personality, big courage, and we need that to maintain this level of performance. I love to play young players. If they deserve to play, for me it’s no problem to put them on the pitch.
"I love his personality!"
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) September 30, 2023
Roberto De Zerbi talks about Jack Hinshelwood ahead of Brighton's game against Aston Villa!
🎙️ @julesbreach pic.twitter.com/QsZXrnKdSi
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Ben Fisher’s preview
Team news
Villa manager Unai Emery makes five changes, returning to the XI that won at Chelsea last Sunday. Roberto De Zerbi makes nine changes for Brighton, with Pervis Estupinan and Kaoru Mitoma the only survivors from the Carabao Cup defeat at Chelsea. Jack Hinshelwood, 18, makes his full debut in midfield.
Aston Villa (4-2-2-2) Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Pau Torres, Digne; Kamara, Douglas Luiz; McGinn, Zaniolo; Diaby, Watkins.
Substitutes: Olsen, Diego Carlos, Chambers, Lenglet, Tielemans, Traore, Dendoncker, Ramsey, Duran.
Brighton (4-2-4) Steele; Veltman, Webster, Dunk, Estupinan; Hinshelwood, Gilmour; March, Welbeck, Ferguson, Mitoma.
Substitutes: Verbruggen, Lamptey, Igor Julio, van Hecke, Dahoud, Baleba, Joao Pedro, Adingra, Ansu Fati.
Referee Andy Madley.
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Aston Villa v Brighton at Villa Park. This should be a lot of fun: Villa and Brighton are currently the best teams outside the perceived elite, and their 18 games this season have produced 70 goals.
Both teams were knocked out of the Carabao Cup in midweek, which might be a blessing in disguise given their busy schedules. It was a shock to see Villa go out – not because they lost to Everton, but because they lost at home. They’d won ten in a row at Villa Park before that and will hope it gets back to being a fortress today.
Brighton’s motivation is very simple: keep playing the football that has made them one of the most interesting and charming teams in the world.
Kick off 12.30pm.
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