Both Aston Villa and Everton are looking to get off the mark in the Premier League when they meet at Villa Park.
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After entering into the season with high hopes, Unai Emery’s side suffered a disappointing start to 2023/24 when they were thrashed 5-1 by Newcastle United. The only plus point was Moussa Diaby, who continued his fine pre-season form with a goal on his debut. The other big negative was the loss of Tyrone Mings who suffered a long-term knee injury.
Sean Dyche saw his Everton side's woes in front of goal continue at home to Fulham, unable to find a way past Bernd Leno in their season opener despite a number of chances, before going down 1-0 at Goodison Park.
Team news
Mings joins Emiliano Buendia on Villa's long-term injury list following his knee surgery.
Bertrand Traore and Jhon Duran were able to rejoin training this week but Alex Moreno is a step behind the pair. Jacob Ramsey is still a few weeks away from full fitness.
The big news for Everton is that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is fit and available for selection.
Arnaut Danjuma and Vitalii Mykolenko are not match fit while Andre Gomes could miss out with a calf problem.
Youssef Chermiti is unlikely to feature as he gets to grip with the English game. Dwight McNeil, Seamus Coleman and Dele Alli are all sidelined.
Last five meetings
25 Feb 2023: Everton 0-2 Aston Villa
13 Aug 2022: Aston Villa 2-1 Everton
22 Jan 2022: Everton 0-1 Aston Villa
18 Sep 2021: Aston Villa 3-0 Everton
13 May 2021: Aston Villa 0-0 Everton
Classic Match: Aston Villa 0-2 Everton, 2013/14
Key facts
- Villa are unbeaten in their eight Premier League meetings with Everton since their return to the division in 2019, winning six and drawing two. They had lost five of their previous six against the Toffees before then.
- Villa ended last season on a seven-match home-winning run, their longest in the Premier League era. They last had a longer home-winning run in the league between September 1989 and February 1990, when they won nine in a row.
- At Goodison last week, Everton had an Expected Goals (xG) figure of 2.73, their second-highest expected goals total in a Premier League match under Dyche.
- At 38 years and 34 days Ashley Young, who played for Villa last season, became Everton's oldest outfield Premier League player since Richard Gough in 2001, who was 39. Young has 28 Premier League assists at Villa Park, more than any other player.
What the managers said
Unai Emery: “The players are very focused on Sunday. They know we didn’t play good [v Newcastle]. They know why we didn’t play better and we are going to face a challenge on Sunday to change and to start in Villa Park with our supporters being stronger.”
Sean Dyche: "Villa showed that they are a very good side last season. You'd expect there'll be a reaction [to the defeat at Newcastle], so we have to safeguard against that."
