ASTON VILLA 2-0 EVERTON

Marco Silva may have left Villa Park wondering how his Everton side had managed to lose this game after they dominated possession all night. However, it’s his team’s inability to take their chances that is hindering Everton’s start to the season, certainly away from home.

The Blues arrived at Villa Park looking to increase the pressure on an Aston Villa side that had lost their opening two Premier League fixtures but as already stated, Everton’s wastefulness in front of goal threatens any progress they have designs on making. Last weekend they edged past Watford at Goodison Park winning the game by a solitary Bernard goal, the week before they were held to a goalless draw at Crystal Palace and drew another blank here. It’s a problem Silva must sort out as soon as possible.

Villa on the other hand, grew into this game urged on by a crowd delighted to be back in the Premier League. After a difficult opening ten minutes, Villa got into the game and took the lead on 21 minutes through new summer signing Wesley. A quick free-kick by Jack Grealish set Villa on their way and then a lovely pass from Jota split the Everton defence and Wesley slid the ball beyond Jordan Pickford to give Villa the lead.

Everton regained control of the game after the goal and although they dominated they only really created one good opportunity which Dominic Calvert-Lewin should have taken. Morgan Schneiderlin’s clever pass got Seamus Coleman behind the Villa defence and his cut-back saw Calvert-Lewin hit the ball into the middle of the goal which Bjorn Engels blocked instead of the corner which would have drew Everton level.

The second half saw a similar pattern to the first, Everton dominated the ball but Villa had a really good shape and Engels and Mings dealt with everything the visitors threw at them.

Silva brought on Alex Iwobi and Moise Kean just after the hour mark as Everton chased an equaliser.

It was Iwobi who immediately got in on the action after some great play from Lucas Digne Iwobi drove his shot at the Villa goal but a deflection took the sting out of the shot and allowed Tom Heaton in the Villa goal to gather comfortably. It was better from the visitors though.

With less than 8 minutes left on the clock Iwobi went even closer to scoring his first goal for his new club. Andre Gomes clipped a ball into the penalty area which was knocked down nicely by Michael Keane, Iwobi gathered the ball and struck a left-foot shot which cannoned back off the inside of Heaton’s post before Mings stabbed it to safety.

The visitors went even closer in the final minute when Moise Kean ran onto an Iwobi pass, he checked back and clipped the ball across to fellow substitute Theo Walcott who was unmarked but somehow the former Arsenal winger blazed the ball over the crossbar from 6 yards. Silva had his head in his hands, whilst Kean banged his fist into the turf at Walcott’s miss.

In the 5th minute of injury time Villa put the game to bed. Wesley held the ball up and played a pass to Jon McGinn, he then saw the run of El Ghazi who took the ball beyond Gomes and slid it past Pickford to the delight of the Holte End.

Final Score: Aston Villa 2-0 Everton

How They Lined Up: 

Barry Cass