Everton vs Aston Villa Preview – Premier League 2025/26 | Form, Injuries, Lineups & Prediction | OneFootball

Everton vs Aston Villa Preview: Everton will look to extend their strong start to the 2025/26 Premier League season when they host Aston Villa at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday afternoon. David Moyes’ side have bounced back impressively from an opening-day defeat, while Unai Emery’s Villans are desperate for their first win and goal of the campaign. With Jack Grealish facing his former club, this clash could see the Toffees capitalise on their home advantage in the new stadium and push towards European contention.

Current Form

Everton kicked off the season with a narrow 1-0 loss away to Leeds United but have since found their rhythm under Moyes. A gritty 2-0 win at Mansfield showcased their resilience, followed by convincing 2-0 and 3-2 victories over Brighton and Wolverhampton Wanderers, respectively. That’s six points from three games, placing them fifth in the table and already surpassing last season’s win tally for 2025 with nine victories across all competitions.

Key performers like Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have added creativity, while Jack Grealish’s return to form on the left flank has been a highlight. The Toffees have taken 16 points from their last six league outings since May; no team has more, signalling a real momentum shift at the new venue.

Aston Villa, in contrast, are enduring a nightmare start, sitting 19th with just one point from three matches and failing to score a single goal – the only team in the division yet to find the net. They drew 0-0 with Newcastle in the opener before suffering 0-1 and 0-3 defeats to Brentford and Crystal Palace.

Emery’s side, who finished sixth last term to secure Europa League football, have now drawn three successive blanks, a feat only four other clubs have managed to start a Premier League campaign. Injuries and summer departures have disrupted their rhythm, with Ollie Watkins isolated up front and the midfield lacking dynamism. Their recent five league games show one win, one draw, and three losses, highlighting inconsistency against mid-table foes.

Everton vs Aston Villa Preview: Head-to-Head Record

Historically, Aston Villa hold a slight edge with 89 wins to Everton’s 83 across 233 meetings, alongside 61 draws. In the Premier League era, Villa have dominated recently, winning four of the last five encounters, including a 1-0 victory at Goodison Park last season and a 3-2 thriller in the reverse fixture. However, Everton’s most recent win against the Villans came in the EFL Cup in 2023, beating Villa 2-1 at Villa Park.

Matches between these sides average 2.6 goals, often decided by set pieces and individual brilliance, with Everton edging the last five head-to-heads 3-1-1 and netting eight goals to Villa’s four. Expect a tactical battle at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, where Everton’s organised defence could frustrate Villa’s blunt attack.

Injury News

Everton

Aston Villa

Manager Quotes

TBA

Predicted Lineups

Everton (probable 4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Garner; Gueye, Iroegbunam; Alcaraz, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish; Barry

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Bogarde, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; McGinn, Tielemans; Elliott, Rogers, Guessand; Watkins

Tactical Preview & Key Battles

David Moyes will likely stick to his pragmatic 4-2-3-1 setup, emphasising solid defending and quick counters to exploit Villa’s winless run and lack of goals. Everton’s midfield duo of Gueye and Iroegbunam will aim to disrupt Villa’s build-up, while Grealish’s familiarity with his old teammates could unlock spaces on the left.

Up front, Thierno Barry leads the line as a fresh option post-internationals, supported by Alcaraz’s pace and Dewsbury-Hall’s vision to compensate for Ndiaye’s absence. With injuries hitting the full-backs, expect a compact shape to protect the flanks, relying on set-pieces where Everton have been strong.

Unai Emery’s Villa, also in a 4-2-3-1, will push for possession but must address their blunt attack. Zero goals in three games is unsustainable. McGinn and Tielemans anchor midfield, with new signing Harvey Elliott potentially debuting on the right to add creativity.

Ollie Watkins remains the focal point, but without Onana and possibly Kamara, transitions could be vulnerable. Emery may rotate with Jadon Sancho or Donyell Malen for width, but defensive doubts at right-back mean a cautious approach away from home.

Key Battles:

Predicted Scoreline