Aston Villa will host Everton in the Premier League on Sunday, looking to bounce back from the humiliating defeat against Newcastle United in their opening game.
Unai Emery’s men crashed to a 5-1 defeat against Newcastle United, and they will be expected to bounce back strongly this weekend. The Aston Villa manager will demand a strong performance from his players against Everton at Villa Park and it remains to be seen whether they can step up and deliver.
Everton, on the other hand, crashed to a narrow defeat at Goodison Park against Fulham. The Toffees have been fighting a relegation battle for the last couple of seasons, and they will look to aim for a top-half finish this year. Sean Dyche will look to take advantage of Aston Villa’s defensive vulnerabilities, and he will aim to pull off an upset at Villa Park.
Aston Villa are certainly the better team on paper, and they have had an impressive summer transfer window. The fans will be expecting stellar performances from the players this season, and the West Midlands club certainly have the quality to grind out wins in these games. They were quite impressive under Emery last season and it remains to be seen whether they can reclaim that form once again.
Villa Park, it's been too long. pic.twitter.com/QROY9wEvlB
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 16, 2023
Team News and Tactics
Aston Villa
The home side have a number of injury problems going into the game against Everton. They will be without Emiliano Buendia, Leander Dendoncker, Alex Moreno, Jacob Ramsey, Jhon Duran, Bertrand Traore, and Tyrone Mings because of injuries.
Although the squad has been depleted with injuries, Aston Villa have enough firepower to grind out a positive result against Everton. They are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez in goal.
A fitness update ahead of #AVLEVE. 🗞️
Jacob Ramsey is still "some weeks away" from a return to training, while Emi Buendía and Tyrone Mings are long-term absentees. pic.twitter.com/O6zY9Y5HPn
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) August 18, 2023
Matty Cash and Lucas Digne are likely to be deployed as the full-backs. They will look to add creativity to the side along with their defensive responsibilities. Ezri Konsa will partner Pau Torres at the heart of the defence.
In the midfield pivot, Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara will look to break up the opposition play and shield the defensive unit. Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby are likely to be deployed out wide here.
The two players will look to create goal-scoring opportunities and add width to the side. Club captain John McGinn will start centrally and he will look to link the midfield with the attack. Finally, Ollie Watkins will lead the line for the home side.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Luiz, Kamara; Doaby, McGinn, Bailey; Watkins
Everton
Sean Dyche is without the services of Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli, Dwight McNeil and Jack Harrison because of injury problems. Dominic Calvert-Lewin missed the game against Fulham with an injury problem, but he could return here.
Demarai Gray has been training away from the squad amid transfer speculations surrounding him. So it remains to be seen whether Sean Dyche is prepared to give him an opportunity here. Meanwhile, Everton are likely to shape up in a 4-4-1-1 formation, with Jordan Pickford in goal.
Nathan Patterson and Ashley Young will be the wing-backs, and they will look to help out the side defensively and cover the central defenders. Michael Keane should start alongside James Tarkowski at the heart of the defence.
James Garner and Alex Iwobi will be the wide players here, and they will look to protect the full-backs and help in setting up counter-attacking opportunities. Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana will be the deep-lying midfielders.
The duo will look to add defensive cover to the side and break up Aston Villa’s attacks. Meanwhile, Abdoulaye Doucoure will be the box-to-box midfielder here, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack. Finally, summer signing Arnaut Danjuma will lead the line for the Toffees.
Probable Lineup (4-4-4-1): Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Tarkowski, Young; Garner, Onana, Gueye, Iwobi; Doucoure; Danjuma
Key Stats
- Aston Villa have won their last four matches against Everton in all competitions.
- Aston Villa have kept a clean sheet in four of the last five matches against Everton.
- Aston Villa are unbeaten in the last six matches against Everton.
- 12 goals have been scored in the last six matches between these two teams.
- Neal Maupay has failed to find the net in his past 28 games in all competitions.
Player to Watch
Moussa Diaby
The French winger has made an impressive start to life in England, and he will look to help Aston Villa create goalscoring opportunities and get on the score sheet himself. He managed to put on an outstanding display against Newcastle United and found the back of the net as well.
Aston Villa will need his creativity in order to break down the Everton defence here. The 24-year-old French man is our key player in this contest. And if he rises to the occasion, Diaby can deliver three points against Everton.
Prediction
Aston Villa 2-1 Everton
Aston Villa have an impressive recent head-to-head record against Everton, and they managed to do a league double over the Toffees last year. They will be fairly motivated after the crushing defeat against Newcastle United, and the players will look to put things right here.
The West Midlands club will not want to slip up once again, especially at home and they will be the favourites heading into this game. Everton will look to make life difficult for the hosts but Villa have the quality to emerge victorious eventually. A narrow win for the home side is on the cards here.