Aston Villa 0 - 0 Everton [L]

Latest [40']

Aston Villa are the hosts for Everton on the road in the Premier League at Villa Park this afternoon. Kick-off is 4:30 pm.

Jack Grealish returns from his double yellow card suspension while Thierno Barry is also back in the starting line-up. They replace Tyler Dibling and Beto, while Seamus Coleman returns on the bench.

Michael Keane is still suspended; Branthwaite and Dewsbury-Hall are getting closer to returning, while Tim Iroegbunam remains sidelined by injury. 

First Half

Everton in primrose and navy kicked off, and Merlin Rohl stabs at the ball, beats Martinez and hits the post! Everton came forward again, Mykolenko invited by Grealish to cross the ball in, but Martinez was awake to it and denied Barry.

McNiel fouled Buendia, but Villa played it short but Buendia skipped away from McNiel, Rogers scooping his cross over the Everton bar. A very clear warning shot.

Any touch on a Villa player earned a free-kick, Garner with the third on Tielemans, Rodgers almost dribbling in. Cash then touched Grealish and Everton got a free-kick. But Villa were building possession, helped when O'Brien gifted them the ball. Rohl then did the same, Maatsen's shot smothered by Pickford.  

Everton tried to pass it around but the Villa press was all over them, forcing Grealish back. McGinn went down, clutching his knee, replaced by Guessand.

Barry won a Pickford punt and it saw Villa concede a corner, Garner delivering to the far post but it was easily cleared. McNeil and Patterson drove down the right but Patterson's cross was ballooned high for Marticnz to gather. But Everton pressed and Barry won Everton another corner. Again beyond the far post ans Grealish could not penetrate the crowd with his shot.

Everton were pressing high again but Buendia looked to break out and McNeil had to tug his shirt at the cost of an early yellow card. Still, Everton looked to be getting more of the ball and passing it around... until Tarkowski gave it away. 

A good turnover saw Everton push forward again but Grealish's shot was blocked. Tarkowski forced a turnover and played it early to Barry who totally lacked the physicality needed to protect the ball and was easily humbled. 

Tielemans [picked out a brilliant ball forward to Guessand but Mykolenlo did enough to put him off and Pickford gathered. Rohl did well to drive forward, Mykolenko getting a rare shot on target.

From the corner, taken short, Jake O'Brien scored off Mykolenko's cross but Armstrong was flagged offside but never touched the ball. Another astounding VAR decision to uphold the linesman's wrong call -- any reason to deny a goal. 

At the other end, O'Brien had to block a close shot from Wilkins, and Rodgers also had a pop from the corner, Villa keeping up the pressure until Pickford could take control.

An extended Everton attack should have yielded something but didn't. A long throw by O'Brien was allowed to bounce all the way through to Martinez. 

Tielemans picked out Guessand and Pickford could only stare at his looping header as it sailed over him and smacked off the bar. Pickford them fummbed the corner, giving away another.  

Grealish tried again but could not get his shot past Cash but won a corner. The corner back to Mykolenko was a total waste, but ended up with another long throw from O'Brien, that only saw Villa break forward before they fouled O'Brien. 

Despite some shakey moments, it had been a half of remarkable promise from the severly depelted Blues who should have gone in one or two goals to the good. 

Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Torres, Maatsen, Bogarde, Tielemans, McGinn (18' Guessand), Rogers, Buendia, Watkins.

Subs: Bizot, Wright, Lindelof, Digne, Garcia, Mings, Hemmings, Jimoh-Aloba.

Everton: Pickford; Mykolenko, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Patterson; Garner, Rohl, Armstrong, Grealish, Barry, McNeil [Y:23'].

Subs: Travers, King, Coleman, Aznou, Campbell, Welch, Dibling, Beto.

 

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