Everton vs Aston Villa – Match Preview and Team News | OneFootball

Everton’s excellent early-season momentum faces its toughest test as they host Aston Villa, a side that has historically dominated this fixture.

The Toffees have made an excellent start to the season, securing two wins from their opening three matches to sit in the top six.

This is a continuation of their impressive form from the end of the last campaign, which has seen them win five of their last six league games overall. In stark contrast, Villa arrive at the Hill Dickinson Stadium winless, goalless, and languishing in the bottom three.

The visitors, however, travel with a significant psychological edge. They are unbeaten in their last 12 meetings with Everton and have kept a clean sheet in each of their last four trips to Merseyside—a record that sets up a fascinating clash between current form and historical precedent.

Everton vs Aston Villa – Match Preview and Team News

Team News

Everton

David Moyes faces several defensive selection questions ahead of the weekend. Centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite is a significant doubt as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem, while full-backs Nathan Patterson and Vitalii Mykolenko are also nursing knocks.

Their potential absence could force a reshuffle at the back, though new midfielder Merlin Rohl is in contention to make his debut.

Aston Villa

Unai Emery is still contending with key absences. Midfielder Boubacar Kamara remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury, and Matty Cash is a doubt with a quad issue.

Former Everton players Amadou Onana (hamstring) and Ross Barkley (match fitness) are also unlikely to feature, but Liverpool loanee Harvey Elliott and deadline-day signing Jadon Sancho are both available and pushing for starts.

Form

Everton

After an opening-day defeat, the Toffees secured back-to-back victories over Brighton and Wolves, lifting them to fifth in the table. Their attacking play has been particularly impressive, with Jack Grealish providing two assists in each of his last two appearances.

Another pair of assists on Saturday would see him become the first player in Premier League history to achieve the feat in three consecutive games.

Aston Villa

Villa’s start to the season has been dire. They have failed to win or score in their opening three fixtures for the first time since the 1997/98 season and sit 18th in the table. A heavy 3-0 home defeat to Crystal Palace before the international break compounded their misery.

However, they can draw immense confidence from their head-to-head record against Everton, having kept four straight clean sheets on their travels to Merseyside, offering a solid foundation to build upon.

Predicted Lineups

Everton predicted XI: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Garner; Gueye, Iroegbunam; Ndiaye, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Beto

Aston Villa predicted XI: Martinez; Konsa, Pau Torres, Mings, Digne; McGinn, Tielemans, Elliott; Malen, Watkins, Rogers

How to watch Everton vs Aston Villa?

The match begins at 3pm BST on Saturday and is not scheduled for live television in the UK due to the Saturday blackout, with live text updates available via BBC Sport.

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