Match ends, Aston Villa 3, Everton 0.
Aston Villa scored three goals in nine minutes as a brilliant second-half display saw Everton's unbeaten run ended at Villa Park.
As one of only five Premier League teams still unbeaten before Saturday's game, the Toffees fell apart in the second half as the hosts deservedly took all three points.
After a lacklustre first half with few chances, the game sprung to life in the 66th minute when Villa full-back Matty Cash fired past stand-in Everton goalkeeper Asmir Begovic with a fine left-footed finish.
The Toffees conceded again three minutes later as substitute Leon Bailey's corner was headed into his own net by Lucas Digne at the near post.
Bailey added a third 15 minutes from full-time after showing great composure to nod the ball down before finding the roof of the net with a thunderous strike.
After a disappointing start to the season, Dean Smith's side move up to 10th in the table with their second victory of the campaign.
McGinn 'too dizzy' to continue
The one downside on an otherwise perfect night for Villa was the head injury to midfielder John McGinn.
The Scotland international was withdrawn five minutes before the break as the hosts used their concussion substitute after McGinn received a blow to the head earlier.
McGinn played on after taking a knock from Michael Keane when contesting an early corner, but went down again around 20 minutes later before being checked over by medics.
The 26-year-old was given tablets before again continuing to play for another 10 minutes before informing Villa's bench that he needed to come off after a challenge from Demarai Gray.
Smith said his decision to keep McGinn on the pitch was "guided by the player".
He said: "He got a knock on the head about five minutes in and thought he was OK to carry on. Around the 26-minute mark, he got another whack and there was a break in play, and he alerted us to it and the doctor kept an eye on it. He called us and said he was too dizzy.
"You're guided by the player. He didn't express concussion symptoms when he did it but there was a second one and then he did."
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Toffees struggle without absent trio
After a brilliant second-half display themselves against Burnley on Monday night, Everton were unable to repeat their performance at Villa Park and rarely threatened going forward, managing just one shot on target.
Going into the match Rafael Benitez was forced into three unwanted changes as the Toffees suffered from their midweek victory, losing Jordan Pickford and Richarlison to shoulder and knee injuries respectively. Their preparations were further hampered when club captain Seamus Coleman was withdrawn from the squad after struggling with a hamstring injury in Friday's training session.
The trio, who had started every league game this season, were replaced by Begovic, Alex Iwobi and deadline-day signing Salomon Rondon, who led the line on his first start for Everton.
The experienced Begovic was called into action early doors, as he made a sharp, reactive save to deny a powerful Tyrone Mings header from Villa's first corner of the match.
But the Toffees were poor at the other end and their solitary shot on target fell to Andros Townsend, whose long-range effort was straight into the path of Villa's returning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Everton's frustrating afternoon was summed up when, at 0-0, Gray looked through on goal after spinning past Ezri Konsa before being pulled back by the defender on the edge of the box, only for referee Craig Pawson to allow play to continue.
Victory would have seen Benitez enjoy his best start to a Premier League season, but his side lacked a cutting edge as they played the final 30 minutes with no recognised striker on the pitch after Rondon was replaced by Andre Gomes.
Not long after, the floodgates began to open as Villa sprung into life.
Smith's side are now unbeaten in five league games against Everton since their 2019 return to the Premier League, and are enjoying their longest run without defeat at Villa Park in the top flight since January 2015.
Player of the match
BaileyLeon Bailey
Aston Villa
Avg
- Squad number31Player nameBaileyAverage rating
8.70
- Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating
8.09
- Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating
8.06
- Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
7.56
- Squad number19Player nameNakambaAverage rating
7.50
- Squad number41Player nameJ RamseyAverage rating
7.49
- Squad number20Player nameIngsAverage rating
7.35
- Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
7.33
- Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating
7.31
- Squad number16Player nameTuanzebeAverage rating
7.23
- Squad number1Player nameE MartínezAverage rating
7.07
- Squad number3Player nameTargettAverage rating
7.06
- Squad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating
6.96
- Squad number15Player nameTraoréAverage rating
6.28
- Squad number18Player nameYoungAverage rating
6.08
Everton
Avg
- Squad number11Player nameGrayAverage rating
5.65
- Squad number16Player nameDoucouréAverage rating
5.00
- Squad number14Player nameTownsendAverage rating
4.93
- Squad number6Player nameAllanAverage rating
4.92
- Squad number15Player nameBegovicAverage rating
4.76
- Squad number5Player nameKeaneAverage rating
4.75
- Squad number13Player nameMinaAverage rating
4.73
- Squad number22Player nameGodfreyAverage rating
4.63
- Squad number17Player nameIwobiAverage rating
4.49
- Squad number33Player nameRondónAverage rating
4.44
- Squad number12Player nameDigneAverage rating
4.06
- Squad number21Player nameAndré GomesAverage rating
3.66
- Squad number24Player nameGordonAverage rating
3.59
- Squad number2Player nameKennyAverage rating
3.58
- Squad number26Player nameDaviesAverage rating
3.51
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 5-3-2
- 1E Martínez
- 2CashSubstituted forTraoréat 86'minutes
- 4Konsa
- 16Tuanzebe
- 5Mings
- 3TargettSubstituted forBaileyat 61'minutesBooked at 75minsSubstituted forYoungat 82'minutes
- 41J Ramsey
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 7McGinnSubstituted forNakambaat 40'minutes
- 20Ings
- 11Watkins
Substitutes
- 10Buendía
- 12Steer
- 15Traoré
- 18Young
- 19Nakamba
- 21El Ghazi
- 30Hause
- 31Bailey
- 35Archer
Everton
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 15Begovic
- 22GodfreyBooked at 72minsSubstituted forKennyat 80'minutes
- 13Mina
- 5Keane
- 12Digne
- 14Townsend
- 16Doucouré
- 6AllanSubstituted forGordonat 72'minutes
- 17IwobiSubstituted forDaviesat 81'minutes
- 11Gray
- 33RondónSubstituted forAndré Gomesat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Kenny
- 4Holgate
- 21André Gomes
- 24Gordon
- 26Davies
- 31Lonergan
- 32Branthwaite
- 50Simms
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 41,888
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home56%
- Away44%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away1
- Corners
- Home5
- Away4
- Fouls
- Home7
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Aston Villa 3, Everton 0.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ollie Watkins.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Douglas Luiz.
Post update
Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Yerry Mina.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Tom Davies (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Andros Townsend.
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Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Foul by Anthony Gordon (Everton).
Substitution
Substitution, Aston Villa. Bertrand Traoré replaces Matthew Cash.
Post update
Attempt missed. Michael Keane (Everton) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Lucas Digne with a cross following a set piece situation.
Post update
Foul by Matthew Cash (Aston Villa).
Post update
Anthony Gordon (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Tom Davies (Everton).
Substitution
Substitution, Aston Villa. Ashley Young replaces Leon Bailey because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Tom Davies replaces Alex Iwobi.
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Jonjoe Kenny replaces Ben Godfrey.
Post update
Attempt blocked. André Gomes (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Post update
Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by André Gomes (Everton).
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Comments
Join the conversation
Wont be the last game we will lose this season...just move on to the next game.Well done Villa,it was great to hear the fans,they really helped their team.
Villa are looking to have a lot more strength in depth and this should bode well for continued progress.
Heart:
Woo hoo!
Let's hope Bailey stays fit. Good for the Premier league, good for villa.
From Blue Nose