Match Thread Aston Villa 0-1 Everton. Sunday 18th January 2026 @ 16:30

[Cameron Manning]

Have they been kicked in the unmentionables? James Rodriguez style?

I don’t think it relates to injuries or sickness although I think one of the players might be sick of Moyes!

 

[knowing your history]

No one available that was not last week bar Jack .

Going to have to be Rohl thrown in centrally I guess for his first prem start?

Very limited options starting and bench will be comical.

 

[knowing your history]

….i’d actually fancy us a bit with a full team out because I think they’re set up for us to pinch a goal or two against them but it’s obviously going to be very difficult for us without KDH and Ndiaye.

Settle for it being 0-0 after 70mins, we’d still be in the game and anything can happen but we’ll have to ride our luck to get in that position.

The time to beat them was at the start of the season. Villa were on their knees at that point and famous stat of Michael Keane having a higher xG that day than whole of Villa team.

Only comfort is if Martinez is still injured as he was comfortably MOTM in the September game. Bizot better than Robin Olsen as backup but he's a bit weak dealing with corners if you crowd around him enough.

 

[Charles Hawtrey]

IF we can keep them at bay then scoring form a CB at a corner seems likely. We will require great effort and concentration. They all start returning next week!!

 

[witchdoc187]

Can't see us getting anything here. Dread to think the team and bench we will have. Usually quite positive. But not for this one. Only chance I think we have is me betting on them

 

[Nymzee]

Least we can’t ruin my Saturday.

 

[Rob17896]

From Sporting Life - an interesting take and one I hope Moyes has been paying attention to.

"The one area which the Toffees boast far more dominance over Sunday's opponents is in the air. Everton top the charts for aerials won in the Premier League this season (by some distance too at an average of 22.4 per game) while Villa are rock bottom (12.0 per game).

I don't expect the away side to rack up the corner count but then these two picks don't require that to happen. JAMES TARKOWSKI 1+ TOTAL SHOTS and JAKE O'BRIEN 1+ TOTAL SHOTS are worth a look each at odds-against prices.

This should be Everton's centre-back pairing given the suspended Michael Keane will be missing. He returned a huge total of four shots when the sides last met with one of those on targets.

These picks don't require one on target though and a header high and wide would be good enough. I struggle to see how Villa will be able to totally nullify the threat the duo will bring at set-piece situations.

Worryingly, Villa's likely centre-back pairing of Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa average 1.7 aerials won per game combined. Tarkowski is going at 4.4 himself, with O'Brien in at 3.1.

There is the potential that Emery looks to bring in Tyrone Mings following his spot on the bench in the FA Cup win over Tottenham but he can't deal with both threats at the same time.

Tarkowski's not exactly prolific in the shots area but then you feel this is a route Everton may well target to goal. Villa sit middle of the pack in terms of set-pieces goals allowed yet the clear aerial difference is there.

I'll also side with a TARKOWSKI GOAL ANYTIME at 18s alongside O'BRIEN ANYTIME at 14s - both with smaller stakes than the single shot.

Again, opportunities may be limited but the prices appeal on what should be a mismatch in the air."

Except other than the unavailable Keane they could not hit a barn door.

 

[the golden visionary]

Least we can’t ruin my Saturday.

Yet...

 

[Igrok]

We will see the best of the dinosaur…0-0

 

[GoldenToffee]

High potential for the most embarrassing result of our season here.

The direction both clubs have gone since we had Gerrard and Lampard respectively must be hugely embarrassing for Everton. Genuinely no excuse for Everton not to be where Villa are now, but we went down the cowardly route while they opted for ambition.

 

[GoldenToffee]

It's going to be extremely, extremely annoying seeing McNeil once again rewarded with a start despite him having been utterly pathetic in every game he's started recently.

 

[hoppy]

Would take a point tomorrow at villa

 

[Toffeelover]

IF we can keep them at bay then scoring form a CB at a corner seems likely. We will require great effort and concentration. They all start returning next week!!

They will be knackered.

 

[Tigger]

Fight like hell for a draw and move on.

 

[Thomasc]

The best thing about today is that we aren’t getting beat today.