Aston Villa vs Everton
Premier League
Sunday
20th August 2023
Villa Park
The most comprehensive preview, detailed analysis and reliable predictions of game week 2 of the Premier League fixture between Aston Villa and Everton.
Aston Villa vs Everton: Preview
Aston Villa form analysis
Villa ended the season in strong form, winning 3 and drawing 1 of their last 4 league games. Key wins came against Tottenham (2-1), Burnley (3-1) and Brighton (2-1). Their draw came against title-chasers Liverpool, securing a vital point late on.
Villa scored 8 goals across the 4 games, with goals coming from Watkins, Ings, Ramsey and others. Their attack looked dangerous. Defensively they were reasonably solid, conceding just 5 goals while keeping 2 clean sheets. Villa’s home and away form was identical – winning 1 and drawing 1 in their last 2 home and away matches each. Overall, Villa built momentum leading into the summer after a season of transition.
Villa struggled to contain Newcastle’s attacking play. They conceded two early goals but Diaby equalized with a tidy finish. The defense opened up too easily for Newcastle’s additional goals. In attack Watkins and Diaby combined well at times. But overall Villa lacked quality in the final third. Set pieces provided their best chances to score. However it was a disappointing performance and defeat for the visitors.
Everton form analysis
Everton ended the season in much improved form, winning 2, drawing 1 and losing just 1 of their last 4 league games. Vital wins against relegation rivals Bournemouth (1-0) and Leicester (3-0) were key in securing survival. Their draw came in a 1-1 stalemate at Wolves. Everton scored 6 goals in their last 4 matches with Doucoure hitting a purple patch scoring 3. However they were kept scoreless by Man City (0-3 loss).
Defensively they tightened up, conceding just 4 goals across the games while keeping 2 clean sheets. Their home and away splits were identical – 1 win, 1 draw and 1 loss in both their last 2 home and away matches. Overall, Everton produced a solid end to the season to stay up. Maintaining their defensive stability and getting Doucoure back to his best will be high priorities next term.
Everton struggled to create many clear goal scoring opportunities against Fulham’s organized defense. Maupay and Onana had some half-chances but couldn’t convert. Everton were solid defensively but conceded from a set piece situation. Patterson went closest, hitting the bar in the second half. Overall Everton lacked attacking quality and creativity in the final third.
