Villa travel to Goodison Park amidst a troubled period for Everton Football Club. With protests planned for the weekend against the chairmanship of Bill Kenwright, coupled with a squad shorn of Mikel Arteta, Yakubu, and Jermaine Beckford, it is as good a time to play Everton as any.
Villa go into the game on five points, with a win and two draws, having only conceded one goal. Everton on the other hand have three points from two games, with only one goal scored. Everton’s three points came in their last minute winner against Blackburn Rovers.
Given Everton’s lack of a cutting edge, with only Saha and new loan signing Denis Stracqualursi as the sole, non youth strikers in the first team squad, it is likely that goals will be in limited supply, although it would be foolish to rule out Leighton Baines and Tim Cahill as being able to chip in with a goal if needed.
Everton Team News
Everton are able to welcome defender Seamus Coleman to the squad following a month out with an ankle ligament injury.
Young forward Magaye Gueye is also fit following a broken toe, and Leighton Baines is back in contention after recovering from a hamstring injury which kept him out of England’s win vs Wales at Wembley.
Denis Stracqualursi and Roysten Drenthe are lacking match fitness although they are expected to feature in the first team squad.
*** UPDATE *** – According to recent reports, David Moyes is likely to deploy Tim Cahill as a striker for Saturday’s game at Goodison Park.
Aston Villa Team News
Following a late fitness test, Darren Bent is likely to feature after getting through training on Thursday. Whilst his groin injury ruled him out of England’s Euro 2012 qualifiers with both Bulgaria and Wales, he will be in contention for a starting berth in attack, likely in the same 4-2-3-1 formation with Agbonlahor and N’Zogbia flanking him.
Richard Dunne will be hoping to extend his excellent international form to Villa’s travels after a performance that Villa legend Paul McGrath said had surpassed any of his efforts for the Republic of Ireland. He suffered a facial injury whilst playing in Russia, but this is unlikely to affect his inclusion in the first XI.
New signings Jermaine Jenas and Alan Hutton are also likely to be in contention for the first XI as Villa look to extend their unbeaten start to the new campaign.
Statistics
The following statistics are provided courtesy of Opta.
Tim Cahill has scored six goals in 10 games against Aston Villa in the Premier League, more than against any other side he has faced in the competition.
Aston Villa have only lost one of their last 11 Premier League fixtures, winning five of them.
The Villans have only kept one clean sheet in their last 21 away league games, however that came on their last game on the road at Fulham.
Everton have lost just once in their last 12 games at Goodison Park, last time out against QPR.
The Toffees’ last four Premier League games have all finished 1-0, with David Moyes side alternating between defeat and victory in this run.
Aston Villa are unbeaten in 10 Premier League meetings with Everton, drawing six and winning four.
Everton haven’t managed a clean sheet in their last 15 matches against the Villans in all competitions.
Tim Howard has saved three of the last six PL penalties he has faced, with one of the others hitting the post.
Aston Villa have the lowest tackle success rate in the Premier League this season so far (66%).
David Moyes has never lost to Alex McLeish as a manager in the Premier League (one win, four draws).
Prediction
With Everton lacking a cutting edge, but with solid players in their team through the likes of Baines, Cahill, and Jagielka, it may prove to be a tight affair. In all honesty, I can see the game being won in a moment of brilliance, with only a single goal separating the teams. I think it could be a 1-0 to Villa if the defence holds out.
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