FC Everton vs. Aston Villa
Jack Grealish returns to the scene of his greatest successes, but this time in a Toffees jersey. On Saturday, two teams in completely different situations will face each other at Hill Dickinson Stadium: Everton welcomes Aston Villa in a Premier League duel that perfectly reflects the contrasts of the early season.
The hosts have undergone a remarkable transformation under David Moyes. After a record-breaking transfer summer with over £97 million spent, Everton are in 5th place in the table with six points. Grealish has become a symbol of this renewal: four assists in less than 200 Premier League minutes have already made the Manchester City loanee a fan favorite.
Villa, on the other hand, is experiencing a false start of historic proportions. As the only club in England’s top seven leagues without a single goal, the visitors are in 19th place with just one point. UEFA restrictions have thwarted Unai Emery’s transfer plans, and only the last-minute signings of Jadon Sancho and Harvey Elliott are expected to bring new momentum.
Despite Villa’s slump in form, bookmakers see Everton as only slight favorites. Villa won the head-to-head match in January 1-0, and before that they won 3-2 away in spectacular fashion. But the current circumstances could hardly be more different from those encounters.
- Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool, Merseyside
- Date and time: 13.09.2025, 4:00 p.m.
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 4)
Everton form & record check
The Toffees have quickly stabilized after a mixed start to the season. Following a narrow defeat to Leeds in their opener (1-0), they recorded two convincing home wins against Brighton (2-0) and Mansfield Town (2-0) in the League Cup, before securing an important 3-2 victory at Wolves.
Particularly impressive is the offensive transformation under David Moyes. The Toffees have scored in four of their last five games, mostly in both halves. The 3-2 win at Wolves was a prime example of this new firepower: Beto opened the scoring early with a header from Grealish’s cross, Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall made it clear, before Wolves came back again.
Jack Grealish is proving to be a real stroke of luck. The player on loan from Manchester City already tops the assist charts after just three league games and has provided four assists, more than in his last two seasons at City combined. His freedom in the left half-space seems to fit perfectly with Moyes’ new system.
With six points from three games, Everton are in 5th place in the table, level on points with Tottenham above them and Sunderland below them. The defense remains solid, while the offense has become much more versatile. However, with Branthwaite, Mykolenko, and Patterson, three important defensive players are missing due to injury, which could test the depth of the squad.
Everton are expected to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, which David Moyes has successfully established since his return. The line-up is likely to be affected by several absences, which will deprive the coach of important options.
Particularly bitter is the absence of Jarrad Branthwaite, who remains sidelined with a thigh injury. The center back signed a new five-year contract in the summer and is considered one of the team’s key players. O’Brien and Tarkowski are likely to form the center of the defense, while Coleman could defend on the right and young Aznou on the left.
In midfield, the creative duo of Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, who have been impressive recently, are expected to start. Dewsbury-Hall leads the league statistics for goal chances created by English players, while Grealish is already in top form with four assists in just three games. The offense led by Beto could once again pose a threat in front of goal, as the team under Moyes is playing much more offensively than in the past.
Aston Villa Form & Record Check
Aston Villa is going through a worrying spell without scoring, which is well above the norm. The Villans have failed to score in three league games and are the only team in the top seven English leagues without a goal. The 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace was particularly painful, coming after goalless draws against Newcastle (0-0) and Brentford (0-1) in their opening games.
The statistics belie the actual depth of the problem. Villa had 33 shots in three games, but real chances were few and far between. Emery’s once-successful tactics now seem predictable. The controlled build-up play through a back three with inverted fullbacks is now easy to defend against, as opponents deliberately allow Villa possession in harmless areas.
The 19th place in the table with only one point reflects the misery, even if the gaps are minimal. Fulham is only one point ahead of Villa, while the gap to Wolves is also one point. The injuries to Onana and Kamara further exacerbate the situation in midfield, although the deadline day signings of Sancho, Elliott, and Lindelöf could provide new impetus.
Emery’s biggest challenge is to restore unpredictability and punch to his team. The lack of width in their play and the lack of real pace on the wings currently make Villa too predictable for well-organized defenses.
Villa are likely to return to their usual 4-2-3-1 formation after the international break. Unai Emery has certainly gained new options with his three last-minute signings Sancho, Elliott and Lindelöf, but he may stick with a familiar lineup for now.
The absences of Onana and Kamara with their thigh injuries weigh heavily on the midfield. Therefore, Tielemans and McGinn are likely to form the center, while there could be some movement in the attacking trio. Malen could get his chance from the start after Villa has yet to score. Sancho will probably need some time to fully integrate.
H2H Everton – Aston Villa Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The record of the last five meetings speaks clearly in favor of Aston Villa. With three wins to Everton’s one, the Villans have shown clear dominance in this fixture. The most recent meeting in January 2025 ended in a narrow 1-0 win for Villa.
Everton’s weakness in the second half against Villa is particularly striking. The Toffees have conceded goals after the break in four of the five games and have never managed to score themselves in the second half. This statistic could indicate physical or tactical problems.
Aston Villa, on the other hand, scored over 80% of their goals after the break, which speaks for their physical strength and tactical adaptability. Both teams have mostly kept under 2.5 goals in the second half, suggesting controlled games.
Everton’s only win came, significantly, in the 2023 League Cup, where the Toffees pulled off a surprise 2-1 victory. In the league, however, Everton are still waiting for a win against Villa since that period.
Everton have made a remarkable turnaround under David Moyes, scoring seven times in their last three games, while Villa are still waiting for their first goal of the season. The bookmakers see the hosts as slight favorites at 2.5, which seems justified considering Grealish’s immediate impact with four assists in two starts.
The “Both teams to score: No” tip reflects Villa’s continued offensive weakness. After 270 scoreless league minutes and the loss of central midfielders Onana and Kamara, their creativity seems severely limited. Everton’s solid defense under Pickford, which has kept two clean sheets in their last two home games, makes this market particularly attractive. The betting markets for a draw at 3.3 appear generous considering Villa’s inability to score points without scoring. Everton’s home win is supported by three consecutive victories and seven goals during that period, while Villa is reliant on the short-term signings of Sancho and Elliott, who may not be ready to play yet. The bolder tip of over 3.5 goals is based on Everton’s recent scoring form and the expectation that Emery will unleash his attackers to finally score their first goal of the season.
