Aston Villa welcome Everton to Villa Park in a rearranged Premier League clash in the first of a Thursday Night Football double-header.
Victory will see Aston Villa move above Leeds into tenth, whereas Everton can go sixth with a win.
Team News
Ollie Watkins is suspended for Villa after being red carded in Sunday’s defeat against Manchester United for diving.
Jack Grealish (calf) could return if he passes a late fitness test but Morgan Sanson and Trezeguet remain ruled out with knee injuries.
Everton could again be without James Rodriguez as he continues to recover from a calf injury.
Yerry Mina (muscle) and Jean-Philippe Gbamin (knee) are ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Aston Villa are unbeaten in four of their last six meetings against Everton (W3, D1, L2).
- Everton have won three of their last five trips to Villa Park (W3, L2).
- Sunday’s red card was Ollie Watkins’ first-ever sending off in the Premier League since joining Aston Villa last summer from Brentford.
- Nine of Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 16 league goals for Everton this season have come in eight away games (W5, D2, L1).
- Villa are looking to do the home double over both Merseyside Premier League clubs under the whistle of Martin Atkinson, who was in charge of their 7-2 win over Liverpool in October.
Prediction
Villa will be disappointed with their second half display against Man Utd on Sunday because they just caved in defensively with various mistakes, despite having taken a first half lead so hopefully they will produce a much cleaner yet clinical performance here.
Everton meanwhile will come into this game off the back of a narrow scrappy win at West Ham in which they defended well in soaking up pressure, in turn triggering counter attacks and Dominic Calvert-Lewin was just clinical with his winner.
On that note, I think this game has the hallmarks of a scrappy contest given the quality of both teams this season but Watkins’ absence could well be the difference for Villa.
Prediction: Aston Villa 0-1 Everton
Result: Aston Villa 0-0 Everton
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