Friday Night Football returned to our screens earlier this evening, as Aston Villa hosted Everton at Villa Park. The most played fixture in the history of English football certainly lived up to the hype, but only one side came away from the game with a smile on their faces as Dean Smith’s men recorded their first win of the new Premier League campaign.
Finally on the board
The game marked the first time that Everton had conceded this season, as the Toffees missed the chance to go top of the table overnight. Alas, as a direct contrast to that, it was looking like the visitors were going to have a good day at the office after their bright start to proceedings in the Midlands.
Villa were able to ride out the storm, though, and in the 21st minute, they took the lead. Jota played a killer through ball into the path of Wesley that cut Everton in half, as the Brazilian calmly guided the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Villa had their tails up and went after another goal, but they couldn’t quite get the job done as they went into half time with the lead.
Moving on up
In the second half Everton stepped up their pursuit of an equaliser, as they attempted to keep their unbeaten start to the Premier League season intact. They came close to getting it too, with substitute Alex Iwobi striking the post with a shot that had Tom Heaton beat. Then, in the biggest opportunity of the night for Marco Silva’s side, The ball was squared to an unmarked Theo Walcott who had the goal at his mercy: but the Englishman was unable to keep his shot down.
Aston Villa will now travel to Crewe for their first League Cup tie of the campaign before taking on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Everton, on the other hand, will be facing Lincoln City, before they host Wolverhampton Wanderers next weekend in a game that will really test where they’re at as they attempt to reignite their push for the top six.
Match Report
Aston Villa: Heaton (7), Taylor (7), Mings (7.5), Engels (7.5), Guilbert (7), Luiz (7), Trezeguet (6.5), Grealish (6), McGinn (8), Jota (8), Wesley (7.5), El Ghazi (7.5), Elmohamady (6)
Everton: Pickford (6), Coleman (6.5), Keane (6.5), Mina (6), Digne (6.5), Schneiderlin (7), Gomes (5.5), Richarlison (7), Sigurdsson (6.5), Bernard (6), Calvert-Lewin (6.5), Walcott (5.5), Iwobi (7), Kean (6.5)
Referee: Michael Oliver
Goals: Wesley, El Ghazi
Yellow Cards: Guilbert, Trezeguet, Coleman, Gomes, Calvert-Lewin
Red Cards: N/A
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