Aston Villa 4-0 Everton - Unai Emery's side bounce back from Newcastle defeat in style to hammer Toffees
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Updated 20/08/2023 at 15:48 GMT
Aston Villa put their opening-day defeat at the hands of Newcastle United behind them as they put in an impressive display to hammer Everton 4-0 at Villa Park on Sunday. The result is a big boost for Unai Emery’s men after a 5-1 loss to Newcastle but Everton have now lost two out of two in the Premier League so far with Sean Dyche under early pressure at Goodison Park.
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 20: John McGinn of Aston Villa celebrates with team mates after scoring a goal during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Everton FC at Villa Park on August 20, 2023 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Neville Willi
Image credit: Getty Images
Aston Villa registered an eighth successive home league win as they swept aside a limp Everton side in a comfortable 4-0 victory.
The Villains were on the front foot from the off, with Lucas Digne seeing a shot blocked after just 14 seconds, before they took an 18th-minute lead when John McGinn volleyed home Leon Bailey’s cross.
A few minutes later, Unai Emery’s side doubled their advantage after a penalty was awarded when Jordan Pickford clattered through Ollie Watkins. Douglas Luiz took the resulting spot kick and found the bottom corner.
Everton offered little at the other end, spare for Arnaut Danjuma having a shot saved in injury time, and their afternoon was compounded by injuries to Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Alex Iwobi.
They conceded a third moments after the latter had hobbled off, with Bailey firing past Pickford, and although Neal Maupay had a fierce volley saved for The Blues, the visitors offered little resilience.
There was more to come for Villa though, who added their fourth through substitute Jhon Duran, who profited from some terrible defending to grab his first Premier League goal just moments after coming off the bench.
TALKING POINT - Everton already look in trouble
The warning signs were there for The Toffees last week, when they lost their opening game at home to Fulham, despite having numerous chances to take the three points.
On this occasion, Sean Dyche’s side never came close to laying a glove on their hosts, with some insipid defending gifting Villa chance after chance.
The Merseyside outfit only avoided relegation on the final day of last season, and having barely added to their squad over the summer, fan fears of another struggle appear to be playing out already.
It’s going to be a long campaign, unless they can conduct some transfer business and strengthen an aging (five of the starting XI are over the age of 30), toothless squad.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Moussa Diaby (Aston Villa)
The arrival of Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen this summer for a club-record £52m certainly raised eyebrows, but he is already repaying Emery’s faith.
The forward was near faultless in attack, with some glorious link-up play creating chances for his team-mates, as well as himself.
Everton’s defenders could barely get close to the France international, who has settled into life wonderfully at Villa Park, dropping beautifully into space in midfield as well as finding those dangerous positions around the edge of the box.
PLAYER RATINGS
ASTON VILLA: Martinez 7; Cash 6, Konsa 6, Torres 7, Dinge 8; Bailey 7, Kamara 7, Diaby 9, Luiz 7, McGinn 8; Watkins 7. Subs: Coutinho 6, Tielemans 6, Carlos 6, Duran 7, Archer n/a
EVERTON: Pickford 5; Patterson 5, Keane 4, Tarkowski 5, Young 4; Garner 6, Gueye 5, Onana 5; Iwobi 6, Doucoure 5; Calvert-Lewin 6. Subs: Danjuma 6, Dobbin 6, Maupay 6, Onyango n/a
KEY MOMENTS
18’ GOAL! ASTON VILLA 1-0 EVERTON (John McGinn). Deadlock broken! That's a delightful move from Villa, as Diaby drives the ball forward before spreading the play out to Leon Bailey on the right. The winger then clips a cross into the six-yard box, from where McGinn volleys home.
24’ GOAL! ASTON VILLA 2-0 EVERTON (Douglas Luiz). Jordan Pickford concedes a penalty by wiping out Ollie Watkins. Luiz takes and although the goalkeeper dives the right way, the midfielder had tucked the ball right in the bottom corner and he doubles Villa's lead.
34’ STUNNING PICKFORD STOP. Oh what a goal that would have been! Digne's brilliant cross from the left is met by Diaby, angling a volley goalwards, only for Pickford to get something on it and tip onto the woodwork
51’ GOAL! ASTON VILLA 3-0 EVERTON (Leon Bailey). That's dreadful from Everton. They don't switch on from a throw-in, which Keane stabs straight into the path of Bailey who drills through Pickford and into the back of the net. Game over.
60’ MAUPAY DENIED. That is a stunning stop from Martinez! A deep corner finds Maupay at the back post, and his volley looks destined for the back of the net until the Argentine saves
75’ GOAL! ASTON VILLA 4-0 EVERTON (Jhon Duran). Another shocking error in the Everton defence, as Young's throw to Keane doesn't have enough on it, and the defender isn't ready for it. Duran nips in, steals possession and slots past Pickford.
KEY STATS
- Aston Villa are now unbeaten in their last nine clashes with Everton, including five successive wins
- Everton lose their opening two matches for the second season running
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