Everton vs Aston Villa

Match Preview

Everton’s first Premier League fixture of 2024 is towards Aston Villa within the televised afternoon fixture this Sunday.

The Blues noticed out 2023 in dismal style with a 3-0 drubbing by the hands of Wolves however have been in a lot better kind within the goalless FA Cup Third Round encounter towards Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on seventh January.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was despatched off in controversial style within the closing levels of that tie however, with widespread sense prevailing and his purple card having been rescinded by the Football Association, he will probably be accessible to face the high-flying Villans in spite of everything.

The sport gives the striker with a chance to re-find his scoring boots having scored simply as soon as in his final 12 video games. He was spectacular in Everton’s Carabao Cup victory at Villa Park in September, scoring what proved to be the winner on what was terrific night for Sean Dyche’s males however he has solely discovered the web on one event since. 

He was supported in assault that night time by Arnaut Danjuma and the Dutchman may characteristic closely once more provided that Dwight McNeil is very uncertain for this one, regardless of his supervisor describing his availability as “touch-and-go” in his press convention at Finch Farm at the moment.

McNeil was taken away from the pitch on a stretcher at Palace with what seemed to be a severe ankle harm however Dyche defined that the swelling has settled down shortly and there’s a risk the winger might be prepared for the midweek replay at Goodison.

The supervisor additionally dismissed the present hypothesis concerning Danjuma’s future, insisting that he stays within the membership’s plans for the rest of the season.

The former Tottenham loanee is the topic of an strategy from Lyon who wish to take him on mortgage till the summer time, curiosity that has been confirmed by his agent. and have reportedly been in talks with Danjuma’s mum or dad membership, Sevilla this month.

“The situation is very simple, he is an Everton player. That’s it,” Dyche mentioned. “He performed the final sport and has a good probability of enjoying the subsequent one. He has definitely by no means been out of our plans. 

“He stays an Everton participant and there isn’t actually a narrative. I hold listening to quotes about him not being in our plans, I don’t know the place they’ve come from. Nobody has requested me, however as I’ve been requested now, he’s an Everton participant and is a part of what we do.”

Dyche can also be hopeful that Abdoulaye Doucouré will probably be absolutely match to face Villa after lacking the final 5 matches with a hamstring downside. The Frenchman has skilled this week and appears set to make his much-anticipated return to a facet that will probably be with out Idrissa Gueye who has joined up with Senegal for the Africa Cup of Nations event in Côte d’Ivoire.

Doucouré is more likely to take up his customary position behind Calvert-Lewin however the remainder of the formation will rely on whether or not Dyche replicates the 3-5-2 formation he used within the cup tie at Villa Park.

It would imply deploying Michael Keane within the central-defensive three regardless of him struggling in that system towards Wolves whereas a extra typical again 4 would enable the Toffees to play their very own sport on their very own turf.

At the again, Seamus Coleman is more likely to make his first Premier League begin in over a month, getting the nod over fit-again Ashley Young, and Jordan Pickford will return between the posts after sitting out the FA Cup sport towards Palace.

Villa, who come into the weekend sitting in second place because the shock package deal of the season, will give health checks to Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans after each resumed full coaching this week however former Everton fill-back, Lucas Digne, is dominated out with a hamstring harm.

That’s along with longer-term absentees Emiliano Buendia and Tyone Mings whereas Betrand Traoré is away at AfCon.

Unai Emery has loads of high quality in his ranks even with these harm considerations, with the likes of Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey offering aim menace and a historical past of discovering the web towards Everton. Both scored within the reverse fixture in August when the Villans ran out snug 4-0 winners.

Villa’s kind in current weeks has been glorious however they have been overwhelmed away at Machester United having led that sport, have been held 2-2 at Bournemouth and misplaced at Nottingham Forest in early November.

Prior to Christmas, Everton have been one of many kind groups within the Premier League, up there with Emery’s males, so if they will recapture among the swagger and depth now that Doucouré is again, the hope is they will put a dent in Villa’s title cost and push themselves away from the underside three following at the moment’s 1-1 draw between Burnley and Luton.

Kick-off: 4:30pm, Sunday 14 January 2024
Referee: David Coote
VAR: Paul Tierney
Last Time: Everton 0 – 2 Aston Villa 

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite., Mykolenko, Onana, Garner, Harrison, Danjuma, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin

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