Everton did anything and everything except put the ball in the goal, and the Toffees had to settle for just a point as they drew struggling Aston Villa 0-0 at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
WATCH — Everton v Aston Villa full match replay
Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye were brilliant up and down the left and right flanks for Everton, but no matter how many teasing crosses and passes they served up, there was only frustration on the other end. To that effect, Everton attempted 20 shots in the game but only managed to put two of them on target. The Toffees (6th place, 7 points) are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games after losing to newly promoted Leeds on opening day.
Aston Villa (19th, 2 points) are still winless and don’t look anything like the counter-attacking juggernaut that Unai Emery built in recent seasons. They are the only side remaining in the English Football League (92 teams) yet to score a league goal this season.
So, Everton might be… good?
Look, it’s still early but David Moyes’ new Everton sure is starting to looking a whole lot like David Moyes’ old Everton. They’re a nightmare to play through in the middle of the field with tireless box-to-boxer Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall the most attacking of a midfield-three, and it’s not exactly fruitful to go the “get it wide and cross” route when Michael Keane and James Tarkowski (and eventually Jarrad Branthwaite again) are waiting to head anything and everything away.
The problem, as evidenced by Saturday’s scoreline, is still up top where Grealish and Ndiaye are wreaking havoc on opposing full backs, but Beto and summer signing Thierno Barry ($41 million) are struggling to put them away. Everton’s floor has been raised immeasurably since Moyes’ return, even if the ceiling hasn’t moved all that much. After a few seasons fighting relegation, Everton fans will be quite happy to go along for that ride and make some happier memories in their fantastic new stadium.
What’s next?
- Liverpool vs Everton — Saturday, 7:30 am ET
- Brentford vs Aston Villa — Tuesday, 3 pm ET (League Cup)
- Sunderland vs Aston Villa — Sunday, 9 am ET
- Wolves vs Everton — Tuesday (Sept. 23), 2:45 pm ET (League Cup)
Everton vs Aston Villa live updates - by Andy Edwards
Everton vs Aston Villa final score: 0-0
Goalscorers: None
Everton starting lineup
Pickford - O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Garner - Gueye, Iroegbunam, Dewsbury-Hall - Ndiaye, Grealish, Beto
Aston Villa starting lineup
Martinez - Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne - Bogarde, Tielemans, Rogers - McGinn, Buendia, Watkins
How to watch Everton vs Aston Villa live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 10am ET Saturday
Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium — Vauxhall
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Stream live on Peacock
Everton would’ve hoped for a great start to the season but surely wouldn’t have guessed they’d have six points and lamenting the three they lost in Week 1 as a missed opportunity. The Toffees have won in different ways, blanking Brighton 2-0 and outlasting Wolves 3-2, but a unifying thread has been the exemplary play of Manchester City loanee Jack Grealish. The England international and Aston Villa hero has four assists in his two starts en route to this meeting with his childhood club.
Villa, meanwhile, are far from the path that led them into European places. Emery’s men were blanked at home to Newcastle United in Week 1 and would’ve written it off as a tough day while down to 10 men. They’ve since lost at Brentford and home to Crystal Palace, and Ollie Watkins as well as his entire team have yet to put a ball over the goal line. This has all happened with a relatively soft landing spot to their season — The Villans still won’t face a traditional ‘Big Six’ squad until October 19 (away to Tottenham Hotspur). They are wasting chances to collect points.
Everton team news, focus
OUT: Jarrad Branthwaite (hamstring) | QUESTIONABLE: Adam Aznou (undisclosed), Nathan Patterson (groin), Iliman Ndiaye (unspecified), Vitalii Mykolenko (unspecified)
Aston Villa team news, focus
OUT: Ross Barkley (personal) | QUESTIONABLE: Boubacar Kamara (hamstring), Amadou Onana (hamstring), Matty Cash (thigh), Andres Garcia (knock)
Everton vs Aston Villa prediction
Surely, Villa are set to snap out of this early-season funk. The additions of Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott on Deadline Day will hopefully be something akin to what the club’s January loans of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio did last season. Everton, however, are in-form and their new stadium should be an unwelcoming place. Maybe the hosts are set to come down and the visitors to step up, but perhaps a total flip isn’t on the cards. Everton 1-1 Aston Villa.
