Premier League preview: Everton face tough test at Aston Villa

Everton visit Aston Villa on Saturday aiming to put a thoroughly miserable start to the 2024/25 Premier League season firmly behind them.

After losing their opening two games against Brighton & Hove Albion and Totttenham Hotspur, the Toffees blew a golden opportunity to stem the tide at home to Bournemouth.

They held a 2-0 lead heading into the 87th minute, but conceded three goals to leave manager Sean Dyche bemoaning his team’s inability to see out the game.

The Toffees are set to suffer more woe this weekend according to crypto sports betting sites, with Villa rated as overwhelming favourites to add another three points to their tally.

They have won two of their first three matches this season and will fancy their chances of continuing their excellent recent record against Everton.

Aston Villa vs Everton team news

Everton centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite has been a big miss during the early part of the season and will not be included in the squad for the trip to Villa Park.

Branthwaite has been recovering from minor groin surgery and Dyche has admitted it he is not yet ready to return to first team action.

Nathan Patterson is also sidelined following his hamstring operation in April, while new signing Armando Broja is not expected to be available until next month.

Seamus Coleman was forced off injured in the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League game against England and is unlikely to feature this weekend.

Villa also have numerous injuries concerns including Ollie Watkins, Boubacar Kamara, Emiliano Buendia, Tyrone Mings, Matty Cash, Diego Carlos and Leon Bailey.

Aston Villa vs Everton preview

While everything points to this game being a ‘home banker’, it would be foolish to completely write-off Everton’s chances of upsetting the odds.

Villa have won seven and drawn three of their 10 meetings with Everton since returning to the Premier League, keeping seven clean sheets during that run.

However, they have won just four of their last 12 home games in the league which will give Everton hope they can take at least one point back to Merseyside.

Fan protests about Champions League ticket prices could also work in Everton’s favour, particularly if they can keep Villa quiet for the first 20 minutes.

Dyche is adept at exploiting these types of circumstances and he is sure to hammer home the importance of using the hostile atmosphere to his team’s advantage.

Everton’s record of one win and one draw in their last ten Premier League immediately following an international break does not paint a pretty picture.

Despite this, they produced some excellent football before imploding against Bournemouth and will hopefully be able to garner some confidence from how they played.

Everton have only scored once in their last five Premier League visits to Villa Park, and will be desperate to improve that record this weekend.

Having snapped his goalscoring drought against Bournemouth, striker Dominic Calvert Lewin could be one to watch in the ‘score anytime’ market.

Aston Villa vs Everton prediction

Everton were poor in their first two matches this season, before showing significant signs of improvement against Bournemouth.

The manner of their late collapse was hugely disappointing, but Dyche will undoubtedly have tried to accentuate the positives from that performance since then.

With the atmosphere at Villa Park likely to be prickly due to the fan protests, Everton could be a good bet to snatch a much-needed point this weekend.

Aston Villa 1-1 Everton.