If Gus Poyet is the manager to lead Albion into Falmer then Let Me Entertain You would be a perfect choice of song for the pre-match build-up.

The Robbie Williams hit epitomises the Uruguayan’s philosophy.

Of course he wants to win. You do not have the kind of success he enjoyed at the highest level as a player without a winning mentality.

But, in the best traditions of a club which at its peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s played with a touch of style, Poyet also aspires to his team performing with panache.

Contrary to the closeness of the scoreline, which saw them lose 3-2 at big guns Aston Villa, Albion only really threatened to cause an FA Cup upset for the six minutes either side of half-time, when they were level, and right at the death.

The real triumph, though, was giving Villa a fright by sticking to Poyet’s principles and continuing to try to pass and play, even after conceding early.

That is usually the death knell for underdogs, especially away from home.

The team talk of most managers would have centred around keeping things tight for the first 20 minutes.

Nathan Delfouneso’s early strike would have wrecked such a plan but that is not the Poyet way.

His side did not panic and wilt and, even when they went 3-1 down in the second half and were in danger of being overrun, they kept on believing they could make a game of it.

Their reward? Something which Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and Manchester City before them all failed to achieve. They ended up scoring twice at Villa Park.

Even free-scoring Arsenal, the next visitors on Wednesday, would settle for that return.

Poyet’s policy could be regarded as a little naïve when confronted by arguably the best counter-attacking team in the country. I prefer to look upon it as a breath of fresh air.

The nature of the occasion and the opposition afforded Albion and their charismatic leader more license to thrill than in the League One dogfight.

The result will matter more than the performance on a dog’s dinner of a pitch at Stockport tomorrow night but Poyet’s desire to let his players express themselves against Villa extended even to set pieces.

Tommy Elphick’s equaliser from a corner in the closing stages of the first half was off the cuff.

The centre-half revealed: “He (Poyet) gives us a few ideas but then it is left down to ourselves.

“Usually we send two to the front post and try to get a flick or a block on, something like that.

“Villa obviously did their research and filled that hole so we thought we would hang around at the back post and then try to attack the front post, bring them all out and go that way about it. Fortunately it came off.”

When the scarily promising Delfouneso pounced only five minutes into the contest, plenty of people inside the ground must have thought the game would end up with five goals – all to Villa.

It originated from an Albion throw-in deep inside the Villa half. Jimmy McNulty gave the ball away cheaply, Marc Albrighton dashed away down the right and skipped past Elphick before crossing low for Delfouneso to convert from close range.

Villa looked comfortable, without threatening to add to their lead but the danger from Albion grew as the first half wore on.

A poor corner from Elliott Bennett was followed immediately by a much better one. As the heads went up the ball broke for Elphick to turn and drive the Seagulls into dreamland.

Villa’s second goal, two minutes into the restart, was a classic counter-attack, even more so than their first.

Albion, buoyed by parity, were on the attack, Bennett crossing narrowly over the head of Glenn Murray into the arms of Brad Guzan.

The American keeper’s throw down the middle released substitute James Milner. He fed Stewart Downing on the left and the cross was headed in by Ashley Young via the post. It was that swift, that simple, that devastating.

Fifteen minutes later, Milner, an early replacement for the injured Albrighton, released Fabian Delph for a composed finish, at which point the floodgates might have opened. Delph, denied by a breathtaking save from Michel Kuipers before netting, slid wide when it seemed easier to score.

Delfouneso, not 19 until next month, inadvertently blocked a goalbound effort from Steve Sidwell and then curled a 20-yard shot against a post.

Villa’s youngsters were instrumental in their victory but the oldest player on the pitch had the last laugh.

Nicky Forster turned away from Luke Young from McNulty’s low cross to rifle in his 15th goal of the season.

If only it had arrived a little earlier, Poyet’s desire to entertain might have been accompanied by the unappetising prospect for an overworked Villa of a visit to Withdean.

Albion (4-4-2): Kuipers; Calderon, Virgo, Elphick, McNulty; Bennett (Dickinson 64), Crofts, Navarro (Cox 73), Dicker (Carole 64); Murray, Forster. Subs not used: Brezovan, Tunnicliffe, Hart, Hoyte.

Goals: Elphick (41), Forster (90).

Red cards: None.

Yellow cards: Navarro (15) foul, Dickinson (90) foul.

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Guzan; L. Young, Beye, Collins, Warnock (Davies 50); Albrighton (Milner 13), Delph, Sidwell, Downing, A. Young (Clark 86), Delfouneso. Subs not used: Friedel, Agbonlahor, Petrov, Lowry.

Goals: Delfouneso (5), A. Young (47), Delph (62).

Red cards: None.

Yellow card: Collins (45).

Attendance: 39,725.