Jack Hinshelwood struck twice in two minutes as Brighton & Hove Albion tore through Aston Villa during an extraordinary first-half display at the American Express Community Stadium.
The dominant Seagulls capitalised ruthlessly on a chaotic defensive performance from the visitors, establishing an emphatic four-goal lead before the referee brought the first half to a close.
Villa had initially started brightly during the opening minutes of the contest, with Ian Maatsen pushing forward down the left flank to earn an early corner.
Emiliano Buendía then dragged an effort wide after Ross Barkley dispossessed Yasin Ayari, but the visiting defense soon fell apart in disastrous and costly fashion.
Brighton opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Pau Torres misjudged a backpass towards goalkeeper Marco Bizot, allowing Maxim De Cuyper to seize possession inside the box.
De Cuyper turned and fired against the post, with the rebound deflecting into the net off retreating defender Victor Lindelöf for an own goal.
De Cuyper turned goalscorer ten minutes later, finishing clinically after being set up by Georginio Rutter to double Brighton's advantage and stun the visiting side.
Hinshelwood added a third on the half-hour mark, before the young midfielder quickly punished another defensive lapse to net his second inside two minutes.
João Gomes dawdled in possession inside his own penalty area and was dispossessed by Hinshelwood, who swept home Brighton's fourth goal of the match.
Villa's nightmare first half worsened when Gomes was shown a red card, leaving the visitors trailing by four goals and reduced to ten men.
Brighton comfortably controlled proceedings until the break, concluding a historic and sensational opening period that left the home supporters at the Amex celebrating in delight.
