Key events
Jack Grealish is making his third return to Villa Park since leaving for Manchester City in 2021. He’s yet to score against his old club in five games home or away. Could today be the day?
Grealish record v Aston Villa:
With Manchester City – P4 W3 D0 L1, 0 goals, 0 assists
With Everton – P1 W0 D1 L0, 0 goals, 0 assists
Grealish record this season:
Matches (all comps): 21
Goals: 2
Assists: 6
Steven Pye of That 1980s sports blog, part of the Guardian Sport Network, has offered up his recount of the bonkers 1989 meeting between these two at Villa Park.
“David Platt doing David Platt things, Ian Ormondroyd on the left wing, a thumping own goal, and Villa winning 6-2 live on ITV during their surprise challenge for the title under Graham Taylor,” he summarises.
Everton are still without Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye, whose involvement at Afcon has gone right until the end. Both are sure to be involved when their Senegal team take on Morocco in the final later today.
David Moyes says the club will back him in the transfer market this month but isn’t expecting big-money signings after the summer’s outlay.
“All managers are hoping to get bigger [spending] numbers but I think the club has outlined that what we spent in the summer, that was the main part,” he said this week. “It’s not me saying it, the CEO is saying it as well: we don’t expect to be doing too much business.
“But genuinely if I can get a couple of new players in, the club will certainly back me – I have no doubt about that. Absolutely they will, they have been really good. Maybe they can’t back me on a £60m or £70m signing but they will back me on what they think will be the right numbers if we think we can come up with the players required.”
Aston Villa fan Dave Slater is quick out of the traps with a prediction: “I think we’ve relied quite heavily on late goals and Everton at home have been hard to break down. I think it’ll be 2-1 Villa coming from behind.”
On a possible title challenge: “Ask me at Easter. Not sure we have the squad and we don’t score enough goals. But everyone’s dropping points!”
Aston Villa will set a new club record of 12 consecutive home wins if they beat Everton today – their previous record of 11 coming under Tony Barton in 1983.
“We are not feeling something extra, we are feeling we need three points,” said Unai Emery this week. “Maybe we can get some new target for winning our matches in a row, but the priority is to win. If we are winning, we are achieving [the record].
“It’s not the mentality we have. The mentality we have is to focus on each match with the points we have and the competition we’re facing and to get the points we need for our consistency in the top positions in the Premier League.”
Starting lineups
Youri Tielemans comes in for the injured Boubacar Kamara in the Villa midfield, while Ollie Watkins starts in place of Donyell Malen (who has since joined Roma on loan) from the FA Cup win against Tottenham last weekend.
Thierno Barry replaces Beto up front for Everton and Jack Grealish returns to the XI in place of Tyler Dibling in two changes from the Cup defeat to Sunderland. Michael Keane is serving the second of a three-match ban.
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen; Bogarde, Tielemans; McGinn, Buendía, Rogers; Watkins.
Subs: Bizot, Wright, Lindelöf, Digne, García, Mings, Hemmings, Guessand, Jimoh-Aloba.
Everton (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Patterson, Tarkowski, O’Brien, Mykolenko; Garner, Röhl; McNeil, Armstrong, Grealish; Barry.
Subs: Travers, King, Coleman, Aznou, Dibling, Beto, Welch, Campbell.
Preamble
Yes, it’s still only January but Aston Villa are well in the Premier League title race. And after both Arsenal and Manchester City dropped points yesterday, they now have the chance to make some gains. Avoiding defeat at home to Everton this afternoon would send Villa above City into second and a win would take them to within four points of leaders Arsenal.
Everton need no reminding of how stern a test they are facing today, visiting a Villa team that have won their last 11 matches at Villa Park – their best run since they were reigning European champions in 1982-83. David Moyes’ side have, however, won three of their last five on the road.
Team news is on the way shortly. Be sure to get in touch with your thoughts on the game, whether from the stands or the sofa.
