Aston Villa 4 Everton 0
Unai Emery went into the season having added some quality players to his squad and the fans felt they could do something special from what they saw of his first season in charge. However, a humbling 5-1 defeat against Newcastle on the opening day, brought the fans down to earth with a thud.
Everton were the visitors to Villa Park this weekend, a chance for the Spaniard to get his side back on track and put memories of that Newcastle defeat behind them. Pau Torres came into the side after the devastating knee injury to Tyrone Mings, which will see the defender out for many months, if not the season.
The game started as an end-to-end affair, a direct ball towards fit again Calvert-Lewin was cleared by Martinez. McGinn took the ball down brilliantly and turned towards The Toffees’ goal, Villa worked it to Diaby outside the box, but his effort went miles over the crossbar.
Doucoure then crossed into the hosts box, at a second attempt, which saw Calvert-Lewin and Martinez collide heavily. Villa counter-attacked after a short break in play, Diaby found Bailey who then cut the ball back from the byline, for John McGinn to volley the ball home.
Credit: @AVFCOfficial
Digne, the ex-Everton player, then whipped a ball into the box that was half-cleared by the visitors. Cash put a cross into the box, Bailey headed it down and Watkins lifted it over the onrushing Pickford. While Everton cleared the ball off the line, the referee immediately pointed to the spot as The Toffees’ keeper wiped out the Villa striker.
Wolves’ fans would be forgiven for wondering where this referee was when they played at Old Trafford when a very similar challenge was waived away as fair. Douglas Luiz stepped up to the spot and buried it in the bottom corner.
At this stage, Aston Villa were full of confidence and as Leon Bailey steamed down the wing, he found Douglas Luiz who laid it off to Moussa Diaby whose shot was saved by Jordan Pickford. The ever-dangerous Digne then swung a cross in from the left, which was met on the volley by Diaby, only to see it come back off the post. The replay showed it was a good save by Pickford, tipping it onto the woodwork.
Calvert-Lewin was forced to come off as his face began to swell up from the collision with Martinez earlier in the game. It seems the striker is cursed to another spell on the sidelines. Danjuma had an effort from a tight angle, saved by Martinez, which was the closest the visitors came to a goal in the half.
Everton then imploded in defence as Keane gave the ball to Bailey in the box, who put it through the legs of Pickford to make it 3-0. This spurred a load of Toffees’ fans to head for the exits and make the long trip home.
Diaby ran at the opponent’s defence, sliding the ball into the path of Watkins, who beat the keeper but narrowly missed the goal as it went passed the far post.
Credit: @AVFCOfficial
Everton had a rare foray forward as Patterson shot from distance to see his effort deflected wide for a corner. As the cross came in, Maupay hit it on the volley but Martinez made a great double save. It summed up The Toffees' frustrations.
Former Villa player Ashely Young then took a wild throw in which was well short of its intended target, allowing substitute Duran to skip around Keane and find himself one on one with the keeper. He slotted it passed Pickford to score his first Villa goal, only 47 seconds after coming off the bench.
Sean Dyche looked like someone who had won the lottery but lost the ticket as his side seem destined for another tough season, Unai Emery was delighted that they were able to put their St James’ Park nightmare behind them.
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