Everton 0-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa made it three wins on the spin in all competitions at Goodison Park, with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Everton. 

Ollie Watkins’ goal six minutes after the interval was the difference maker for the Villans on Merseyside, who stood firm against the Toffees in what was David Moyes’ first game back in the home dugout. 

After starting well on the road, with both Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers going close, Unai Emery’s side were made to settle for a goalless first 45 minutes, but did not need long after the restart to take the lead, as Watkins confidently slid the ball under Jordan Pickford. 

A combination of organised defending and controlled play in possession saw the visitors successfully see the game out, keeping a welcome clean sheet to make it three wins and a draw in their last four outings, and ensure they remained unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League meetings with Everton. 

The Villans stated their intentions from the off, immediately letting shots off on Pickford’s goal.

After Onana’s early effort on his return to Goodison was deflected agonisingly wide, Rogers called the England goalkeeper into action after five minutes, cutting inside and looking to bend into the far corner, forcing Pickford to tip around the post.

Emery’s men continued to enjoy the majority of the possession, pressing their hosts aggressively off the ball. They might have taken the lead a little after the quarter-hour, when Watkins pounced on a loose backpass from Ashley Young, but could only curl wide of the far post when Pickford rushed off his line to thwart him.

But Villa had to remain alert, with the Toffees constantly looking to release Dominic Calvert-Lewin in behind. Just before the half-hour, he let fly from an acute angle, his effort skidding wide of Emi Martínez’s far post, before the Villa stopper got down well 10 minutes later to hold onto Abdoulaye Doucouré’s effort. 

After soaking up the Everton pressure, Villa again took their turn to come forward, as Boubacar Kamara tested Pickford with a low drive which had to be parried to safety, before coming to his side’s rescue at the other end, in the right place at the right time to stop Calvert-Lewin’s goalbound effort on the line.

Again, the visitors went up the other end and could have snatched the lead in first-half stoppage time. Jacob Ramsey’s snapshot could not find the target as the ball fell at his feet inside the area, with the referee bringing a goalless opening period to a close seconds later. 

Emery’s men began the second period as they had the first, and within six minutes of the restart, took the lead. Rogers picked up a loose ball in the centre of the field and drove forward, playing Watkins in one on one who had the simple task of sliding the ball under his England team-mate Pickford. He duly obliged, finishing confidently to send the away end into raptures. 

The home side upped their intensity as the game ticked into its final 15 minutes, remaining in pursuit of an equalising goal. The Villans tried to keep hold of the ball, as they had succeeded in doing for large parts of the game, though found it increasingly difficult against the Toffees’ high press in front of the Gwladys Street End. 

But the introduction of Emi Buendía gave the Lions greater control as the encounter entered four minutes of stoppage time. Villa successfully repelled Everton’s advances – with Martínez holding Orel Mangala’s late effort and Calvert-Lewin turning another opportunity over – to leave Merseyside with a precious three points.