Everton 0 – 1 Aston Villa
David Moyes faces his first test as the new Everton manager with the visit of Aston Villa to Goodison Park under the lights on Wednesday night.
But no real surprises in his first-team selection, with the welcome addition of Martin Sherif from the U21s on the bench.
A number of senior players, including Armando Broja, with no more news on his injured ankle. Dwight McNeil is still injured while James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam and Youssef Chermiti are back in training but have yet to make the subs bench.
Everton kicked off but avoided the long punt upfield, although they still surrendered possession. Onana strode forward and took the fist shot, deflecting off Tarkowski for an early corner headed clear strongly by Young. But somehow the ball fell to Rogers and he was able to test Pickford, who parried for another corner.
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Tarkowski headed the second corner behind; Harrison headed clear the third. But it was gifted to Onana again and he shot wide. Not a wholly auspicious start. Everton tried to build down the right but it broke down and Everton allowed the Villa players to storm forward, Tieleman’s shot was blocked brilliantly by Tarkowski – and it needed to be.
Onana took out Gana for an early yellow card. Villa threatened to shoot again as Everton struggled to break out until Ndiaye found Doucocure but Calvert-Lewin had strayed offside. Ndiaye was rewarded with a free-kick when he seemed to have run into trouble, playing more centrally.
Young’s free-kick was very poor, easily cleared. Harrison and Doucoure linked well down the right, his cross deflected for an Everton corner, taken by Harrison. It came out to Gueye whose sliced volley struck a defender on its way wide.
Young made a horrible error playing the ball perfectly for Watkins but he turned the ball wide of both Pickford and the goal. What a let-off!
Mangala intercepted a ponderous build by Villa, but Everton could not build anything themselves. Harrison gave Villa another corner, but it was defended well.
There was very little pressing when Villa had the ball, which was most of the time. Good work by Branthwaite foiled a quick Villa counter and the ball was played up to Calvert-Lewin, who controlled it well off his chest but scuffed the shot wide from a broadening angle.
A good spell of determined play roused the crowd momentarily but Everton could not keep possession. Villa countered Mykolenko stopping Rogers but Young then fouled Tielemans for a threatening set-piece from Lucas Digne… straight into the jumping Everton wall.
A deep and somewhat wayward cross from Mykolenko was put behind by Digne, Harrison’s corner not too bad but The Blues were offside when it was recycled.
A quick move started by Young saw Mykolenko cross behind the line but Docucoure’s smart fick didn’t have enough pace to beat Martinez. Villa countered, Kamara forcing a low save from Pickford. Another horrid giveaway needed firm rearguard action to stop Villa from profiting.
A long ball up the right wing saw Calvert-Lewin battling with two defenders. Young forced another corner but it was cleared. A stuttering move saw the ball drop to Calvert-Lewin 8 yards out but his awkward shot boobled toward the line where it was easily cleared.
At the other end, Rodgers drove in but the shot was blocked, falling to Ramsey who had to score… but his shot flashed inches wide and the half ended goalless.
Harrison concedeed an early free-kick after the restart, Mykolenko heading it out. The throw-in came through to Ramsey who scooped it over the bar. Mings tripped and caught Calvert-Lewin as he advanced on the ball but nothing in it really.
Some great pressing high up almost paid off but a loose ball played back by Branthwaite set Villa going and Waltkins simply slotted home under Pickford.
Gana was booked for a poor challenge on Kamara, then Onana held back Mangala for what should have been his second yellow card but inexplicably not.
Ndiaye got forward and put in a good cross but Calvert-Lewin was the wrong side of not one but two defenders. The corner was whipped in straight to Martinez with lots of wrestling in the goal area.
Everton tried to respond but balls played backward from advanced positions did not help. Harrison was replaced by Lindstrom just before the hour mark.
Ndiaye and Doucoure combined well to force a corner which sailed over everyone as Calvert-Lewin was dragged down and Lindstrom pushed just enough to stop him making contact. VAR? Still on half-time, apparently.
Digne forced a corner off Tarkowski, Tielemans playing it short and losing it. Everton tried to break but Doucure’s pass forward was easily stopped and they were finding it harder now to fashion a meaningful strike while Villa could counter at will.
When they did have the ball, the build was painfully slow and went all around the houses, Ndiaye battling manfully and winning a corner, although he expected a free-kick. The ball in caused havoc in the crowd but nobody could get a boot on it before it was recycled back in but Branthwaite could not get a clear shot on it.
More Blues possession, but it broke down again and Villa almost broke. Tarkowski tried to get Mykolenko around the back with a deep diagonal ball that the Ukranian could not control. It was scrappy and shapeless.
Finally, a better move saw Mykolenko’s cross force a corner but it was defended away as Moyes rang a couple of interesting late changes. A deep free-kick for a foul on Gana saw the big men up but Mykolenko’s ball in was overhit as the game moved into its final stages.
A turnover fell to Beto but his control was abysmal as he tried to advance. More terrible turnovers ensued with the ball lost just too easily. Into time added on (4 minutes) but Everton struggled until Mangal dug out a shot that deflected into Martinez’s hands.
A tremendous chance did finally come, a quick ball in by Lindstrom but Calvert-Lewin, completely incapable of measuring or mastering the bounce of the ball, could only spoon it over the bar. Calvert-Lewin had at least looked interested in this game but he is just such a poor finisher.
Everton: Pickford [Y:56], Young (83′ O’Brien), Mykolenko, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Gueye [Y:53′], Mangala, Harrison (59′ Lindstrøm), Doucoure (82′ Beto), Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Virgina, Begovic, Patterson, Keane, Armstrong, Sherif.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Kamara, Onana [Y:8′], Ramsey (81′ Buendia), Tielemans, Rogers, Watkins.
Subs: Olsen, Gauci, Nedeljkovic, Bogarde, Maatsen, Bailey, Jimoh-Aloba, Duran.
Reader Comments (62)
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Paul Ferry
1 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:20:53
COYB!
George Cumiskey
2 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:21:27
Can’t believe he’s gone with Harrison and Doucouré OMG 😱
George Cumiskey
3 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:22:47
And he’s got two goalies on the bench, what’s happening ?????
Pete Ellingham
4 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:23:57
They will play completely differently under him than Dyche. Hopefully!
Paul Ferry
5 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:23:58
Dave Lynch. I was posting at the exact time that MK switched threads to say no need for that mate. I don’t doubt you (although that’s not my place). Enjoy the match!
Sam Hoare
6 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:24:06
What I hope may change is some of the patterns of play, allowing a bit more width, getting the full backs forward more frequently. Lets see.
Mark Frere
7 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:24:11
Would’ve like to have seen Lindstrom in Doucoure’s position behind DCL.
Brendan Fox
8 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:24:46
Cowardly team selection by Moyes
Paul Ferry
9 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:25:02
Perhaps Dyche picked the team????
Mike Hayes
10 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:25:18
No shake up here – can only think he wants to see what shite Dyche had to put up with and if he can polish the turds 💩💩💙
George Cumiskey
11 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:26:08
Did Dyche send him the team sheet ????
Annika Herbert
12 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:27:57
Well that team selection should make all the difference
Mike Hayes
13 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:28:23
When we win Dyche will claim it was his team – surprised he didnt claim the cup win as his 🥳💙
Dave Lynch
14 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:29:34
That “rumour” re Tom Canno is on X apparently formerly known as twitter.
On evertonnewsfeed…all one word.
There is a thumbnail picture of Tom applauding, open that and that is it.
Shaun Parker
15 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:30:07
Have to say I’m disappointed with the team selected.
Any hope and optimism has gone out the window.
How many wins do we need to stay up? 8??
Paul Ferry
16 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:30:36
Cheers Dave! Enjoy the match!
Mike Allison
17 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:32:19
Disappointing team selection but no surprise really. The attitude and use of the ball will be the big thing.
Pete Ellingham
18 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:35:21
I wish I was at the game tonight- I am sure the atmosphere is going to be electric- COYB!
Rob Hooton
19 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:36:01
Uninspiring; let’s see what unfolds. Hope the players are all up for it!!
John Graham
20 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:36:17
Let’s hope he’s given them some attacking freedom or it’s a total waste of time changing the manager.
Billy Shears
21 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:36:37
Hardly the most inspiring team selection but a chance for the usual suspects to shine for once!
Derek Knox
22 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:37:53
I just hope the usual culprits start to play!
Neil Lawson
23 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:37:59
Disappointingly underwhelming.
Steve Cotton
24 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:38:31
Anyway, great news our new signing will be Tom Cannon – the guy we just let go! You couldn’t make it up.
Mike Price
25 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:39:00
It’s the team that Dyche would have picked; it’s got to play differently or this will turn toxic very quickly.
Dave Lynch
26 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:40:00
No problem Paul.
Here’s to a win…
Clive Rogers
27 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:40:41
I can only see that team losing tonight.
Mihir Ambardekar
28 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:43:22
I’m hoping to see a good game.
Shaun Parker
29 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:45:00
At least we cannot drop into the Bottom 3 tonight.
Izzy Selwyn
30 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:47:10
I suspect if he sees the same dross from Duocoure, he will bring on Lindstrom and maybe move Ndiaye to the Number 10.
Let’s see if he does anything before the 70th minute though.
Paul Ferry
31 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:49:57
That’s rubbish, Izzy.
Ian Wilkins
32 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:52:11
I think Mykolenko is having a poor time but the alternative is the 40-year-old Young out of position.
The alternative to Harrison is Lindstrom. Hardly inspiring. This is what we have. It’s what we do with it that matters.
Michael Lynch
33 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:54:50
Leon Osman said on the BBC that we could well lose the next three games, and he’s right. For me, the turnaround needs to start on 1 February at home to Leicester. Any points gained between now and then are a bonus.
Izzy Selwyn
34 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:55:05
Paul Ferry 32: what team would you put out from today’s squad?
Bill Gienapp
35 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:55:17
(Just kidding, but yeah – if fortune favors the bold, then our league position is no surprise!)
Martin Berry
36 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:56:25
Then I think we have a good month with the Manager having a lot more to look at and choose accordingly.
This team may yet surprise with the “bounce” in the meantime?
David West
37 Posted
15/01/2025 at
18:58:57
There is a case for playing 3 at the back to improve our width but Mykolenko isn’t the best going forward and young doesn’t have the legs he used to.
A Reaction from the players would be nice, I’d demand it if I was one of the senior players. Let’s show Dyche we are decent footballers capable of stringing passes together. Intriguing to see if it goes long as much as usual.
Paul Ferry
39 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:15:36
Izzy, you were talking specifically about the bench. Why are you shifting the goalposts?
Bill Gall
40 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:15:37
Well it was not as exactly suspected, but with the short period he has been here there is not really many for him to
make radical changes. It may look a strong team but strength is no substitute for skill.
Edward Rogers
41 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:16:09
Got to get a grip of Tielemans, always does well against us.
Iain Johnston
42 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:18:29
Who did you expect him to pick? Moyes didn’t bring a midfielder or a winger with him and the options are injured.
Izzy Selwyn
43 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:20:38
Paul 40, np, I meant that the bench looks so weak, that there wasn’t much he could do to make the team much stronger from that bench. Sorry, if I was misunderstood.
Ernie Baywood
44 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:20:48
But I must admit the selection has lowered the mood a bit. It’s hard to see how the intent can change that much when we still have the same slow paced full backs.
Anyway. Goodison under the lights with a new(ish) manager in place. COYB!
Brendan Fox
45 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:21:24
Uninspiring and borderline stupidity to expect different results with the same team that got Dyche the tin tack
Paul Ferry
46 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:21:35
That’s not actually true Iain.
Colin Metcalfe
47 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:21:48
We are going to need a big effort and a big slice of luck to get anything out of tonight’s game; let’s just hope the Villains are off the pace tonight.
Brendan Fox
48 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:26:06
Ndiaye is not a winger so push him behind Dom and drop Doucoure, who has stunk the gaff out for a while now.
Do something different to try to change the outcome.
Alan J Thompson
49 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:26:54
The more things change, eh.
Joe McMahon
50 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:28:40
Alan, agreed. Patterson also.
Michael Kenrick
51 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:31:31
Well, Rossi got that all wrong, fast asleep at the wheel at the moment of the Second Coming!
Robert Tressell
52 Posted
15/01/2025 at
19:31:46
Brave and imaginative line up. A new era of adventure starts tonight! COYB
Shaun Parker
53 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:20:16
He offers Nothing.
All our errors come from him.
All he does is pass it back.
Get him off.
Get rid of him.
Oliver Molloy
54 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:20:43
Thank goodness Villa have been as bad as us first half – is all I can say!
Kevin Molloy
55 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:21:25
Not bad. Still in it, starting to learn again how to attack, riding our luck against a good side. Entertaining half.
Ernie Baywood
56 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:22:51
More crosses than we’ve seen in a long time and we’ve had chances. We’ve conceded a few chances too, though.
The player limitations just don’t go away though. That first head of steam dissipated with a poor infield pass from Mykolenko and two cheap concessions of possession by Harrison – all 3 leading to shots and corners. Then we had Young’s brainfart.
Some positives. Hopefully we do see some changes too.
Alan J Thompson
57 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:23:18
And Mykolenko has shown he can cross a ball now that we have players in there to cross to but Harrison has done little other than hog the right touchline. We have seen Calvert-Lewin have a couple of chances but the ball just wouldn’t drop right at the most important moment.
Encouraging.
Mike Hayes
58 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:27:34
Can only suspect Moyes has picked a Dyche type team to see for himself whos shit and whos not, then work from there.
Its like an assessment of those fit and available. Not much of a new manager bounce as yet – do Everton players do that? Fingers crossed for us pulling off a win for a change. Its times like this you want the next match ASAP to see whos in and whos out and how the game plays out
Ciarán McGlone
59 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:32:49
Hot tub time machine starring Davey Moyes.
Mike Hayes
60 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:38:17
It had to happen ffs 😡
Ernie Baywood
61 Posted
15/01/2025 at
20:52:01
How obvious would a push in the box need to be?
Sean O’Hanlon
62 Posted
15/01/2025 at
21:24:09
Another huge miss from Calvin Lewin. He should be shown the door immediately. Absolute rubbish, and an embarassment to the team and all the fans.
Simon Dalzell
63 Posted
15/01/2025 at
21:25:26
DCL should have scored at least 2. So Frustrating, he needs replacing ASAP. Onana Obvious Red Card. Clear Penalty on Either Myko or DCL. Referee so poor.
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