A Villa 2 – 1 Everton

Goals from Danny Ings and Emiliano Buendia secured a 2-1 win for Aston Villa over Everton as Steven Gerrard got the better of Frank Lampard at Villa Park.

The game looked over when substitute Buendia added to Ings’ first half strike late on but Lucas Digne’s own goal made for a nervy finish in the afternoon sunshine with Amadou Onana coming close to bundling in a shock equaliser for Everton in stoppage time.

The two former England midfielders had both seen their teams lose on the opening weekend but, meeting each other as managers for the first time in the most played fixture in English football history, it was Gerrard who got the big decisions right on the day.

The recalled Ollie Watkins did brilliantly to set up both Aston Villa goals, while former captain Tyrone Mings produced a strong performance at the back to nullify Everton’s threat. In contrast, Everton looked a little disorganised despite the arrival of Conor Coady and remain pointless this season.

How Villa sent the fans home happy

Villa looked the brighter team from the start with Everton’s vulnerability evident when centre-back Diego Carlos went close with an early headed chance from a corner. But Lampard’s side did think they had the lead themselves midway through the first half.

Anthony Gordon bundled the ball into the net from close range after James Tarkowski had won the initial header from a right-wing corner but the youngster was offside. Everton were unable to build any momentum because they fell behind soon afterwards.

There were groans inside the stadium when Ings latched onto Watkins’ centre because the home supporters could see that Philippe Coutinho was racing to meet the ball. Fortunately for Villa, Ings had the time, the space and composure to lash home on the turn.

Everton were just a little too easy to play against. Even when they had possession in the Villa half any stray pass left them exposed to the counter-attack, particularly after Abdoulaye Doucoure’s injury left Alex Iwobi as the ostensible holding midfielder.

There were opportunities but when Dwight McNeil needed to find the pass he overhit it and when Demarai Gray needed to control the ball inside the box it escaped him. The rest of the time there was the sight of the recalled Tyrone Mings reaching the ball before them.

The second goal looked to have finished it as a contest when debutant Amadou Onana was dispossessed in midfield and Buendia played a one-two with Watkins to score a really neat goal. The Argentine made a real difference after he came on and seemed to enjoy himself.

The Villa fans were in a celebratory mood at that point but better work from Onana allowed Everton to pull a goal back when Digne put the ball through his own net. It was a nervy finish as both Salomon Rondon and Onana came close to finding an equaliser in stoppage time.

But the goal would not come and it is hard to see how they will come unless Everton can come up with something in the transfer market this month. Villa are entitled to be the more optimistic, the issues at Bournemouth addressed by Gerrard’s team selection.

Fantasy Premier League stats

Opta facts – Ings’ record and Everton’s poor start

• Aston Villa have won their last three league games against Everton.
• This is just the second time in Premier League history Everton have lost both of their opening two games in a season.
• There were just 96 seconds between Emiliano Buendía doubling Aston Villa’s lead, and Lucas Digne’s own goal to make it 2-1.
• Aston Villa striker Danny Ings has scored more Premier League goals against Everton than he has any other opponent (6).
• Since the start of the 2019-20 campaign, Ings has scored the opening goal in more different Premier League games than any other player (20).
• Lucas Digne’s own goal was the third time a player has scored a Premier League own goal against Everton having previously played for them, after Don Hutchison and Mikel Arteta.

What’s next?

Aston Villa take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park next Saturday in a 3pm kick-off. Everton are back in action at Goodison Park at the same time as they host newly-promoted Nottingham Forest in a classic top-flight fixture that has not yet been played this century.