Everton - Aston Villa

Aston Villa is presently occupying the second spot in the current Premier League standings, showcasing remarkable form throughout the season. In their recent FA Cup encounter, they secured a crucial 1-0 victory against Middlesbrough, further bolstering their confidence for the upcoming match. On the flip side, Everton finds themselves positioned in 17th place, struggling to hit their stride this season. Their previous game ended in a goalless draw against Crystal Palace, prompting the team to elevate their performance for the approaching weekend clash.

Analyzing the historical confrontations between Everton and Aston Villa, the latter holds a slight advantage with 87 victories out of the 230 matches played, compared to Everton's 83 triumphs. Notably, Everton has faced a recent downturn at home, suffering three consecutive losses to Aston Villa, a trend unseen in the 19 preceding games. Since returning to the Premier League in 2019, Aston Villa remains unbeaten in the last nine matchups against Everton, maintaining six clean sheets in the process.

Presently, Everton is grappling with a challenging phase, having endured three consecutive losses in the Premier League, marking their lengthiest such slump since March 2022. In contrast, Aston Villa had a stellar 2023 season, accumulating 85 points in the Premier League, surpassed only by Manchester City.

Everton vs Aston Villa Prediction

Looking ahead to the Everton vs. Aston Villa matchup, Unai Emery's managerial prowess has propelled Aston Villa to a flourishing state. Players like Leon Bailey and Ollie Watkins, capable of being potent on any given day, aim to leave an impact in this weekend's game. While Everton possesses the potential to be formidable, their recent form suggests that Aston Villa, currently in superior condition, is likely to emerge victorious in this encounter.

Despite the anticipated comeback of Abdoulaye Doucoure providing a significant boost to Everton, they will face the upcoming match without two crucial players due to suspensions – Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Idrissa Gueye.

Throughout the year, Everton has encountered substantial difficulties in converting scoring opportunities. Despite Aston Villa's defensive struggles in recent games, failing to secure a clean sheet since their notable 1-0 victories against Manchester City and Arsenal in early December, Everton is expected to find it challenging to breach Emi Martinez's goal, especially with Villa's highly effective attacking line.

The appealing aspect of this selection lies in the favorable odds – Aston Villa has netted eight goals in their recent four Premier League matches, including three against Burnley in their latest outing. On the contrary, Everton has conceded eight goals in their last three league games.

While Ollie Watkins may not be considered a top-tier finisher, his impressive conversion rate is noteworthy. With a season xG total of 10.45, Watkins ranks sixth in the Premier League. Aside from Watkins, Villa boasts additional goal-scoring threats in Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey, and John McGinn, all of whom have tallied at least five league goals. The streaky Moussa Diaby appears to be hitting another peak in form.

In a potential shootout, Everton will need to keep pace, as it will be challenging to prevent Villa from finding the back of the net, especially following Watkins' rest in the FA Cup victory over Middlesbrough last weekend.