Gerrard makes winning start as Villa beats Brighton 2-0

BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) — Steven Gerrard has made a winning start as Aston Villa manager with a 2-0 victory over Brighton in the Premier League. Gerrard left Rangers during the international break to replace Dean Smith, who was fired following five successive Premier League defeats. And the former Liverpool captain got Villa Park bouncing again after two late goals secured the win. Ollie Watkins broke the deadlock with a curling effort after 84 minutes before Tyrone Mings lashed home a second goal two minutes from time. That made Gerrard the first Villa manager to win his first Premier League game in charge since John Gregory in February 1998, and immediately put a four-point gap between Villa and the relegation places.