Everton crumble at Villa Park with Calvert-Lewin off injured

Aston Villa 4 - 0 Everton

Everton travel to Villa Park for their first away game of the season with Sean Dyche deciding that Dominic Calvert-Lewin, having completed his planned programme of rehabilitation, is all set for Premier League action in Sunday afternoon's game.

It's the only change from last week as Dyche is still without Dwight McNeil, Seamus Coleman, Dele Alli, Youssef Chermiti, the supposedly injured Jean-Philippe Gbamin, and new loan signing Jack Harrison, while Arnaut Danjuma is included only as a substitute alongside former U21 players Cannon, Onyango and Dobbin. 

And Michael Keane continues to be preferred by Sean Dyche ahead of the exciting young prospect Jarrad Branthwaite who more than anything needs game time in the Premier League. 

The home side kicked off and immediately won a corner off Garner, McGinn winning a second corner after which Garner released Iwobi but the cross was poor. Iwobi was then stopped easily and Villa looked to slow things down a little. 

Everton had some possession but the forward balls were too challenging.  At the other end, Diaby's first shot was wildly high over Pickford's goal. Doucoure tried to play in Calvert-Lewin but too close to Martinez, and a nasty clash with the Everton player running straight into the Villa goalkeeper and ending up with a big swelling under his right eye. 

After some worrying treatment, Calvert-Lewin needed a concussion check before coming back on. Luiz was booked for a weak grab on Young. 

But Everton went behind far too easily when Diaby fed the ball out to Baily who went to the byeline and cut it back accurately to McGinn who could not miss.

Everton tried to respond but it was sporadic and formless, whereas wehnDiaby broke forward it looked a real threat until Young tackled him brilliantly but took a knock in the process. Patterson was next with a good tackle for a corner. 

In the rework, a ball in is clipped up by Watkins and cleared off the line by Patterson as Pickford lunges at Watkins with a left hook that barely catches him and the referee signals a penalty that is not overturned by the VAR – so much for protection to the referees? Luiz smashed it in despite Pickford's wide dive. Everton now in real trouble. 

Everton won a corner but it was collected easily by Martinez. McGinn danced forward with the Everton players backing away, and far too easily set up a shot that Pickford saved down low.  

Everton played it forward laboriously and Calvert-Lewin got the ball only to pass it straight to a defender.  Iwobi advanced only to deliver a weak cross straight at Martinez with no Everton players anywhere near it.

Digne delivered a cross and Diaby fashioned a tremendous volley that Pickford somehow pushed onto the post, across goal and out for a corner that was cleared.  But Villa were dominating the play and they came back again with another wicked cross that Young was able to head away.

The condition of Calvert-Lewin was a concern though, and he was finally switched out for Aurnaut Danjuma. He lasted just 37 minutes. Another Digne cross caused absolute havoc, with Watkins almost scoring at the far post. 

Danjuma did well to hold a forward ball up under pressure and Young eventually crossed but it was easily defended, with 9 minutes added before the break.  Danjuma was getting well involved and cut through to fire at Martinez from a narrow angle, winning a corner when he should perhaps have cut it back for someone else. 

But Everton were finally pressing well, denying Villa and playing forward but Patterson's cross was simply horrible. Keane felt he had to drag Watkins down at the expense of a yellow card. Digne again had acres of space with Patterson a long way from him, the cross cleared this time. 

McGinn almost found Diaby and Watkins almost got on the cross from Bailey. Gueye slid in on McGinn and he too got a yellow card just before the end of a disastrous half for Everton. 

Incredibly, Sean Dyche made a proactive and surprising change for the second half: a very young Lewis Dobbin on for the ageing and yellow-carded Idrissa Gana Gueye. Dobbin scampered down the left past Cash but just overran the line. 

Iwobi, now on the right, pulled up clutching his hamstring. He eventually hobbled off as Kamara had a shot that cannoned off Tarkowski as Maupay came on for Iwobi.

A dreadful mistake by Keane from a throw-in was pounced on by Bailey who hammered it past Pickford for the third killer Villa goal. Danjuma tried to shoot but it was blocked; his second attempt squirmed wide off a deflection. Tarkowski should have done more with Garner's corner. 

Garner had to clean up but Villa soon attacked again, Diaby scampering through and Watkins tried to clip it in but missed the far post. At least Danjuma showed some real zest down the left but smashed his cross too hard at Maupay. However, Everton got a corner that fell perfectly for Maupay at the far post and, with the goal at his mercy, Maupay fires straight at Martinez. 

A corner for Villa at the other end saw Trakowski take the ball off Bailey who stayed down before being one of three substituted. With the pace of the game slowing Villa worked it to Coutinho whose shot was saved by Pickford. At the other end, Carlos brushed away Maupay when it looked like he might fashion something.

Danjuma and Maupay were trying to create something but after the turnover, Keane did well to stop Watkins running in. Digne fouled but Garner's free-kick was easily repelled, Danjuma back quickly to dispossess Konsa. 

Duran came on for Watkins and profited immediately from a poor throw by Young and another horrible mistake by Keane, simply shocking from the Blues.

Everton did their best to regroup and try to halt the Villians' relentless progress, Danjuma doing his best to create something, but failing each time with no support. Coutinho tried and failed to beat Pickford from a long way out.

Danjuma had another go, and saw his shot deflected just past the angle for a corner. From the rework, Dobbin poked a hopeful (hopeless?) ball in straight to Martinez. Garner barged Coutinho who went down for plenty of treatment until withdrawn for Archer.

Patterson caught Lucas Digne needlessly for another yellow card before 9 minutes more were added. A misplaced forward punt from Keane was headed out generously for a corner that was cleared. A Garner free-kick was launched high for Martinez to catch easily.

Onana did well to win the ball back but Danjuma was less adventurous and it broke down yet again. Both teams played out the extended time with Everton utterly dejected by a dreadful performance that drops Everton to the very bottom of the Premier League after just 2 games. 

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Luiz [Y:15'] (64' Coutinho (86' Archer [Y:89'])), McGinn, Watkins (74' Duran), Digne [Y:32'], Pau, Diaby (64' Carlos), Bailey (64' Tielemans), Kamara.
Subs: Olsen, Marschall, Traore, Chambers.

Everton: Pickford [ Y:22'], Young, Tarkowski, Keane [Y:45+4'], Patterson [Y:86'], Garner, Gana [Y:45+9'] (46' Dobbin), Onana, Doucoure (90+8' Onyango), Iwobi (52' Maupay), Calvert-Lewin (38' Danjuma).
Subs: Virginia, Mykolenko, Godfrey, Branthwaite, Cannon.

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