Following an inconveniently timed International Break, Everton are looking to capitalise on Aston Villa’s poor start to the season as they welcome them to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time. Everton had begun to build some momentum before the break, winning three games in the space of seven days. Conversely, Saturday’s opponents – who come off the back of a 3-0 hammering at home to Crystal Palace – have arguably been the most disappointing team in the league so far this season, failing to score in all three games.
Everton impressed yet again going forward in their 3-2 victory at Molineux two weeks ago, with a scoreline which flatters the home team, in all honesty. Everton’s defence was yet again sloppy however, following on from the issues seen in the victory over Brighton. With two crosses into the box causing confusion between the two centre backs and Vitaliy Mykolenko, David Moyes will no doubt be counting down the days until Jarrad Branthwaite returns from injury.
It is at the other end of the pitch where Everton have evidently come on leaps and bounds. Jack Grealish continues to be the man on everybody’s lips, notching two assists for the second game in a row. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored his first goal for the club, lashing one in on the half volley. Even the seemingly forgotten man, Beto, scored a fine header within ten minutes, giving Moyes a tough decision on who leads the line going forward. Yet Iliman Ndiaye continues to be Everton’s star man, scoring his second goal in as many games from the Right Wing position – a strong message to those who suggested that he cannot be used there.
Whilst Everton seem free-flowing in attack, Aston Villa seem be unable to get going – and not through a lack of talent. Whilst Ollie Watkins looks to have lost a yard of pace and new signings have taken a while to bed in, the talent in that Villa frontline is undeniable. However, they look a shadow of the team which qualified for the Champions League not even 18 months ago, and it is tough to know why. Burnout? All good things must come to an end. Villa have had largely the same core for the last four to five seasons – a defence of Digne, Mings, Konsa and Cash seems to have been a guarantee since the 21/22 season. Poor squad building and PSR issues are holding their team back, but they’ll come good. Let’s just hope they wait another week.
Everton and Aston Villa – History
It is no secret that Aston Villa have been a bogey team for Everton since their promotion in 2019 – since their return to the top flight, Everton have failed to beat them in the league, drawing three games and losing nine. The only win that the Toffees have recorded in that time was a 2-1 win at Villa Park, in 2023’s edition of the Carabao Cup.
This fixture was David Moyes’ first game in charge after his return to Everton at the beginning of the year, a match which saw Everton lose 1-0 following a flat performance before the upturn in form.
Everton and Villa have met over 220 times in the top flight, the most of any pairing. This spans back to the very first Football League season in 1888/1889. Both teams have won nine league titles since then.
Team News
Defender Vitaliy Mykolenko was forced to return back to Finch Farm following a scan on international duty with Ukraine which revealed an injury. Since then, Everton have posted on their socials that the left-back is back in training.
Defensive duo Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson are expected to continue their absences from the squad, as they continue to nurse injuries.
Adam Aznou completed 80 minutes for the U21 team against Doncaster on Tuesday 2 September, which is a promising sign for his fitness. However, this match may come slightly too soon.
Deadline Day signing Merlin Röhl is in contention to make his debut, after signing from Freiburg.
Ex-Everton duo Amadou Onana and Ross Barkley are expected to miss out, as they struggled with a hamstring injury and a lack of match fitness respectively.
Matty Cash is a doubt following a quad issue sustained on international duty for Poland, which forced him off at half time in their World Cup Qualifier against Finland.
Midfielder Boubacar Kamara picked up a hamstring injury in Villa’s 1-0 defeat to Brentford 3 weeks ago, and he remains a strong doubt.
Deadline Day signings Harvey Elliott and Jadon Sancho are in line to make their debut for the Villans.
What the Manager Says
On James Garner – ‘He’s an incredibly versatile player and we’re very fortunate to have him. Actually, I got asked a question earlier about the England team. I think if I was on the England staff, I would be keeping a close eye on Jimmy Garner…’
On Merlin Röhl – ‘I’ve been pleased with what I’ve seen, I have to say. But look, he’s another young boy coming in from a different league. A different speed, a different intensity. He’ll be able to handle it, I’ve got no doubt about that.’
On Aston Villa – ‘I’ve got great resoect for Aston Villa and I’ve got great respect for their manager and what they’ve done in recent seasons. They’ve been amazing. They’re one of the teams everybody expects to be near and around the top.’
Everton Key Player
Iliman Ndiaye – I could easily have chosen Jack Grealish for this section once again but I would have been simply regurgitating the same points I made two weeks ago. With a point to prove, not just to Villa, but to the footballing world, Grealish will be looking to be the first player in history to record two assists in three successive Premier League games. Instead, I have chosen to focus on the man who Grealish will be looking to the most to get on the end of his assists – Everton’s newfound Right Winger, Iliman Ndiaye.
Going into the season, many wondered what Ndiaye’s new role would be, with most resigning to the fact that Jack Grealish will make the Left Wing spot his own. Despite having experience in the #10 position at Sheffield United and Marseille, Ndiaye has been a revelation on the right, forming one of the league’s most exciting midfields with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall taking the central position. Ndiaye has shown his versatility by playing on the right for his national team, Senegal, and his impressive defensive work-rate – an extremely underrated part of his game – gives so much help to his full-back that it is hard to see an Everton team succeed where he is not playing out wide.
After scoring nine Premier League goals last season, Ndiaye was Everton’s top scorer in the league, and his eye for goal has certainly carried over to the new season, scoring two goals in three matches. Interestingly, both of his goals this season have been back-post, close-range finishes – something that Everton have sorely missed on both wings for countless years. That goalscoring instinct is so important for a team looking to move up the table, as seen in elite wingers like Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka. It is one of the main reasons Everton have struggled for so many years; if your wingers don’t contribute to goals, you will struggle. No two ways about it.
One to Watch for Aston Villa
Morgan Rogers – As previously mentioned, Villa’s attack has been extremely underwhelming, and Rogers is included in that bracket. Regardless of his form, Villa’s #27 is an elite ball carrier, which is a profile which Everton continually struggle with. With Idrissa Gana Gueye roaming and his midfield partner, whether it be James Garner or Tim Iroegbunam, unfamiliar with a ‘sitting’ #6 role, ball-carrying midfielders have acres of space time and time again in the midfield when they play Everton – as shown by Rogers’ assist in this fixture last season.
Despite his domestic form, the 23-year-old provided a delicate assist to Noni Madueke in England’s 5-0 win in Serbia on Tuesday night, proving that class is permanent. Few players in the league can do what Rogers does and bring what Rogers brings, and it begs the question – if Villa do flatter to deceive this season, which club comes in with an offer that Villa cannot refuse?
Final Thoughts
With the benefit of hindsight, the Aston Villa project seemed like one which was destined to fail. Offering aging players (such as the ex-Everton full-back Lucas Digne) upwards of £150,000 a week give flashbacks to the early Moshiri days at Everton, and whilst I recognise that Villa are in nowhere near as much trouble, once you start running close to a breach of PSR, it takes years to get out of. I think Harvey Elliott will prove to be a decent signing, but Jadon Sancho screams pure panic.
In terms of Everton, it feels refreshing not to be the ‘crisis’ club at the beginning of a new season. This feels like the most positive start to a season since the Ancelotti days, with some parallels being seen between Jack Grealish’s August Player of the Month award and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s in 2020. Everton have a superstar, maverick player in Grealish, similar to James Rodriguez 5 years ago, which no doubt brings the whole team’s confidence up. Seemingly, the only way is up for Everton with key players yet to return from injury, and they will be looking to grab the bull by the horns before a trip to Anfield next week.
Prediction
1-1 – Neither pessimistic nor optimistic. If there was a time to play Villa, it is now, where their confidence is at rock bottom. Despite that, their goalless run cannot go on forever, and an evidently leaky Everton defence could be the game where it comes to an end. Everton seem to be one of THE teams to beat in the league so far, looking to make it six wins out of their last seven Premier League games, but, despite this, I cannot look past how much of a ‘bogey team’ Villa are to Everton. They have only been a stronger team than Everton for around three of the six seasons they have spent back in the top flight – is there some sort of mental block when this fixture comes around? Here’s hoping that a bit of Jack Grealish magic against the club which started it all can prove me wrong on this one.
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