Everton vs Aston Villa: Match Preview | The second David Moyes era starts here

What a week, huh?- David, it’s Wednesday.

Yes, you could be forgiven for being a discombobulated after wild few days at Goodison Park.

The last match preview I wrote assumed Sean Dyche would be in the dugout for the Peterborough. That looked to be the case right until late afternoon, before news emerged that Dyche and his team had been sacked.

A little under 48 hours and a 2-0 FA Cup win later, David Moyes is back at the Toffees after a 12-year absence.

I understand the mixed reaction from some supporters suggesting it is a retrograde step. But given the predicament of the team at present I think Moyes is the best person for the job.

He certainly said all the right things in his first news conference, acknowledging the players may need a little boost whilst challenging them to prove themselves, speaking highly of the new owners while hinting that he expects financial support this month, and rallying the supporters to bring the Goodison factor into play during a run of six home games in the next eight.

There is also the nostalgia factor, Moyes may not have brought silverware during his first spell but he brought stability pride and identity, things badly lacking over recent years. There is only so much he can do in the short term with a limited squad and funds tight. But he should be able to get more out of the current squad than it is currently showing, and that will hopefully be enough to lift the team away from danger.

The opposition

It feels appropriate that Aston Villa is Moyes’ opening opponent as the Toffees had some thrilling encounters with the Villans during his first tenure as the pair battled to break into the top six.

It is also (if you didn’t know by now) the most played fixture in English top-flight football, with Villa very similar in size and stature to the Toffees.

Of course the pair are wide apart at the moment thanks to Everton’s struggles and Villa’s revival – they were mid-table in the Championship as recently as 2018. So their rapid reemergence should give Everton hope.

They head to Goodison in eighth place, four points outside the top four, still looking to repair the damage of a poor run in October and November that saw them lose five out of seven in all competitions. They have lost just two of nine since – away at in-form Forest and Villa – but that made it five away defeats on the spin in the Premier League.

They are however unbeaten in their last five Premier League away games against Everton , keeping a clean sheet in each of their last three, with the Toffees not tasting victory against Villa in their last 11 league games, a run stretching back to before the Midlanders were relegated in 2016.

Previous meeting

Aston Villa 3-2 Everton, 14 September 2024

Photo by Malcolm Couzens/Getty Images

Everton’s awful start to the season continued as they slipped to a fourth successive defeat despite taking a 2-0 lead once again. Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin were on target for the Blues, but a double from Ollie Watkins and a wonderstrike from Jhon Duran won it for Villa.

Team news

Photo by Zac Goodwin/PA Images via Getty Images

Moyes is hopeful Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be fit to feature after recovering from an ankle knock that saw him miss the Peterborugh game. Seamus Coleman was due to be on the bench that night before being thrown into coaching duties so will also be available for selection.

Dwight McNeil remains absent with an ongoing knee problem while Armando Broja needs a scan on his latest injury suffered in the cup on Thursday. James Garner is back training after a back problem but is not yet ready for a return.

Tim Iroegbunam (foot) and Youssef Chermiti (thigh) are out longer term.

What they said

Everton boss David Moyes: “A couple of weeks ago, I didn’t think there was any chance Everton could be in a relegation fight. I thought they would be strong enough to get out of it.

“I’ve come into the seat now and I’m going to back that up and say we’ll be strong enough to stay away from it.

“But I’m not kidding myself on or anybody else. We’ll need everybody behind us; we’ll need the players playing better, scoring more goals if we’re going to make that happen.

Goodison will help. But what we’ve got to talk about is the opposition. We’re playing against two really good sides. Two big sides.

“My history will tell me Goodison has played such a big part. If it can do it again and help us, it will be really important.

“I saw the support Evertonians gave the team in the run-in last year, which was needed. Hopefully, we’re not in that position at the moment, but I’m hoping the crowd can get behind the players.”

Photo by Aston Villa/Aston Villa FC via Getty Images

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery: “Our challenge is how we can compete away, because the last matches we played away in Premier League, we didn’t work, we didn’t get points, and tomorrow is our challenge.

“It’s difficult, because as well, it’s Everton with a new coach, and of course I think they are going to be – the crowd and the players – very motivated, excited as well, with [David] Moyes, because before he was a very successful coach there with them.

“But we have to try to focus on our match, our gameplan, our idea to impose on the field, respecting them.

“Overall, maybe some tactical work they are going to change, but I think the players they are playing more or less, tomorrow they will be on the field defending Everton.

“Of course, we respect their players, we respect their stadium, we respect a new coach with a new idea, and I respect as well the difficulty we are going to face tomorrow.”

Final word

Stripping back the excitement of a new manager and this represents a tough test against a very good Villa side, even if it is one on a poor run of away form. With another home game to come at the weekend this is a great chance revive Everton’s survival fight and get Moyes’ second tenure off to the perfect start.