Race for a mid-table finish gets intense this midweek in the Premier League as European spot chasing Everton travel to take on Aston Villa. The match schedules for Thursday at Villa Park, with kickoff at 8 pm.
Everton will be looking to make it three consecutive away wins coming on the back of a 1-0 win over West Ham United. On the other hand, the Villans secured all three points against the Toffees just 12 days after picking a 2-1 win at Goodison Park.
Aston Villa shocked Carlo Ancelotti’s men by taking all three points and crushing their hopes of a Europa slot. Then, however, the Villains fell for a Manchester United comeback after opening the scoring account from a Bertrand Traore strike.
The match was not free of VAR controversy, with Ollie Watkins showed the second yellow card of the night. However, Dean Smith has much to look out for despite nearly losing on a Europa League spot. Moreover, a time like this last season saw the side battle for relegation.
In contrast, Everton has an impressive away record with 11 wins and three draws in their last 17 games on the road. Moreover, only Manchester City and Manchester United have picked up more points while on the road. However, Carlo Ancelotti only has one win in his last six encounters against their opponents.
Aston Villa vs Everton Head to Head
Both sides have 23 games against each other, with Aston Villa takes six wins while Everton has seven wins. Here is a look at their previous encounters:
Home
- Aston Villa 1-3 Man United
- Everton 1-2 Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 2-2 West Brom
- Aston Villa 1-2 Man City
- Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa
Away
- West Ham 0-1 Everton
- Everton 1-0 Aston Villa
- Arsenal 0-1 Everton
- Everton 2-2 Tottenham
- Brighton 0-0 Everton
Aston Villa Team News
Captain Jack Grealish – who missed 12 consecutive matches with a shin injury – returned to field training. He might get some minutes off the bench to boost his match fitness. Injury absentees at the camp include Morgan Sanson and Trezeguet.
Everton Team News
Abdoulaye Doucore is back in contention after recovering from a fractured foot. However, Yerry Mina might drop to the bench to give way for Mason Holgate to feature alongside Michael Keane. Wing-back positions are full, with Seamus Coleman and Lucas Digne available for selection.
Prediction and Odds
We cannot overlook Everton’s impeccable away record this season; thus, we envisage another away win.
- Everton Win
- Goals Under 2.5
- Calvert-Lewin to Score
