SM
Real Madrid vs AC Milan: 14 hrs 26 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews
Collect News Data
EL
Premier League | Gameweek 34
May 1, 2021 at 8pm UK
Goodison Park
AV

Everton
1 - 2
Aston Villa

FT(HT: 1-1)
Watkins (13'), El Ghazi (80')
Luiz (41'), El Ghazi (90')

Everton 1-2 Aston Villa: Watkins, El Ghazi dent Toffees' top-four hopes

:Headline: Everton 1-2 Aston Villa: Watkins, El Ghazi dent Toffees' top-four hopes:
Anwar El Ghazi found a way past the inspired Jordan Pickford in front of a watching Gareth Southgate.
Sports Mole

Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Everton duo Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin gave England manager Gareth Southgate cause for optimism in the visitors' 2-1 win at Goodison Park.

The result, Villa's first victory on the ground since 2008, put a huge dent in the Toffees' Champions League hopes – leaving them nine points off fourth place.

And while it only moved Villa one place up to ninth the real benefit was to the Euro 2020 hopefuls who were able to showcase their talents to the watching Southgate with Watkins and Pickford, in particular, impressing.

Jordan Pickford impressed despite Everton's defeat (Michael Regan/PA)

The Villa striker, who made a goalscoring international debut against San Marino in March, looked a handful throughout and was unlucky not to add to his 15th club goal of the season which opened the scoring.

That he did not build on that was partly down to Pickford, who kept Everton in the game to allow them to reach half-time level thanks to Calvert-Lewin's 20th of the campaign.

But in terms of style they were outdone by Anwar El Ghazi's 80th-minute winner which he curled into the top corner after sweeping crossfield move.

Watkins and Calvert-Lewin now have 28 Premier League goals between them and are looking like able deputies to Harry Kane at this summer's tournament.

Ollie Watkins scores Aston Villa's opener (Michael Regan/PA)

Everton were lacking an adequate stand-in for James Rodriguez, though. He was replaced in the starting line-up after a suspected calf strain during the warm-up, with Alex Iwobi a poor imitation.

Things got worse for the hosts after just 13 minutes when Mason Holgate fluffed an attempted backpass under pressure from Watkins and the Villa striker pounced to slot past Pickford despite being partially brought down by the recovering defender.

The goalkeeper got close enough to Watkins to smother his next effort as the forward raced on to Ezri Konsa's long ball.

And the hosts drew level when Calvert-Lewin lost former Everton midfielder Ross Barkley to power home a header from Lucas Digne's corner for only his fourth goal in his last 17 Premier League matches.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin heads in Everton's goal (Naomi Baker/PA)

The same combination almost then put Everton ahead but Emiliano Martinez saved the diving header.

Watkins was proving even more of a threat but he found a worthy opponent in England team-mate Pickford, who denied him and then tipped Bertrand Traore's rebound on to the crossbar, before he had a shot deflected just wide.

The forward's intelligent use of space and his willingness to chase seemingly lost causes kept Holgate and centre-back partner Ben Godfrey on their toes but it was Barkley who almost put Villa ahead again when his low drive hit a post with Pickford this time beaten.

Everton improved slightly from an attacking point of view after the break but on more than one occasion manager Carlo Ancelotti could be heard bawling at his defence after another lapse offered up a chance, usually to Watkins.

Anwar El Ghazi celebrates his goal (Michael Regan/PA)

Their record of winning just once in the last 26 league games in which they had conceded the first goal rarely looked like changing with Richarlison particularly ineffective as he went a seventh match without a goal.

The Brazil international was playing his 100th league match for the club but never looked like adding to his 32 goals.

With the match seemingly meandering towards a draw El Ghazi struck after Lucas Digne gave the ball away on halfway. Traore quickly switched it to the opposite flank where the Dutchman cut back inside to caress a right-footed shot into the top corner and extend Everton's woeful home league run which has seen them win just one of the last 10.

body check tags ::

amp_article__445722 : Collect and Make Data not in DataBase  : 
last updated article - 2021-05-01 21:28:29:
html db last update - 2021-05-01 21:28:29 :

ex - 7200 : read : write cache and make html
Read more!
Share this article now:


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!
Recommended Next on SM
Saturday's Premier League predictions including Chelsea vs. Fulham
Harry Houdini: Wilson's late wizardry helps Fulham snatch victory from Brentford
Preview: Liverpool vs. B. Leverkusen - prediction, team news, lineups
Everton plotting move for Roma's Tammy Abraham?
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool108111961325
2Manchester CityMan City1072121111023
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest10541147719
4Chelsea105322012818
5Arsenal105321711618
6Aston Villa105321715218
7Tottenham HotspurSpurs1051422111116
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton104421714316
9Fulham104331413115
10Bournemouth104331312115
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle104331010015
12Brentford104151920-113
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd10334912-312
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham103251319-611
15Leicester CityLeicester102441418-410
16Everton102351017-79
17Crystal Palace10145813-57
18Ipswich TownIpswich100551021-115
19Southampton10118719-124
20Wolverhampton WanderersWolves100371427-133
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.

history www

Two European giants 'to rival' Real Madrid for Chelsea midfielder

1

TE

Preview: Red Star vs. Barcelona - prediction, team news, lineups

2

PR

'It's been very tough' - Amorim opens up on taking Man United job

3

'B

Is Haaland injured? Guardiola reveals all ahead of Sporting clash

4

IH

Hoping for the best: Chelsea star Palmer 'to undergo scan' on knee injury

5

HF

Mainoo, Maguire return dates: Man United injury, suspension news vs. PAOK

6

MM

Preview: Brugge vs. Aston Villa - prediction, team news, lineups

7

PB

Preview: Feyenoord vs. Salzburg - prediction, team news, lineups

8

PF

Preview: Besiktas vs. Malmo - prediction, team news, lineups

9

PB

"I'm not thinking about it": Tielemans comments on criticism, transfer talk

10

&N


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .