Aston Villa scored three goals in nine minutes as a brilliant second-half display saw Everton’s unbeaten run ended at Villa Park.
As one of only five Premier League teams still unbeaten before Saturday’s game, the Toffees fell apart in the second half as the hosts deservedly took all three points.
After a lacklustre first half with few chances, the game sprung to life in the 66th minute when Villa full-back Matty Cash fired past stand-in Everton goalkeeper Asmir Begovic with a fine left-footed finish.
The Toffees conceded again three minutes later as substitute Leon Bailey’s corner was headed into his own net by Lucas Digne at the near post.
Bailey added a third 15 minutes from full-time after showing great composure to nod the ball down before finding the roof of the net with a thunderous strike.
After a disappointing start to the season, Dean Smith’s side move up to 10th in the table with their second victory of the campaign.
McGinn ‘too dizzy’ to continue
The one downside on an otherwise perfect night for Villa was the head injury to midfielder John McGinn.
The Scotland international was withdrawn five minutes before the break as the hosts used their concussion substitute after McGinn received a blow to the head earlier.
McGinn played on after taking a knock from Michael Keane when contesting an early corner, but went down again around 20 minutes later before being checked over by medics.
The 26-year-old was given tablets before again continuing to play for another 10 minutes before informing Villa’s bench that he needed to come off after a challenge from Demarai Gray.
Smith said his decision to keep McGinn on the pitch was “guided by the player”.
He said: “He got a knock on the head about five minutes in and thought he was OK to carry on. Around the 26-minute mark, he got another whack and there was a break in play, and he alerted us to it and the doctor kept an eye on it. He called us and said he was too dizzy.
“You’re guided by the player. He didn’t express concussion symptoms when he did it but there was a second one and then he did.”
Toffees struggle without absent trio
After a brilliant second-half display themselves against Burnley on Monday night, Everton were unable to repeat their performance at Villa Park and rarely threatened going forward, managing just one shot on target.
Going into the match Rafael Benitez was forced into three unwanted changes as the Toffees suffered from their midweek victory, losing Jordan Pickford and Richarlison to shoulder and knee injuries respectively. Their preparations were further hampered when club captain Seamus Coleman was withdrawn from the squad after struggling with a hamstring injury in Friday’s training session.
The trio, who had started every league game this season, were replaced by Begovic, Alex Iwobi and deadline-day signing Salomon Rondon, who led the line on his first start for Everton.
The experienced Begovic was called into action early doors, as he made a sharp, reactive save to deny a powerful Tyrone Mings header from Villa’s first corner of the match.
But the Toffees were poor at the other end and their solitary shot on target fell to Andros Townsend, whose long-range effort was straight into the path of Villa’s returning goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Everton’s frustrating afternoon was summed up when, at 0-0, Gray looked through on goal after spinning past Ezri Konsa before being pulled back by the defender on the edge of the box, only for referee Craig Pawson to allow play to continue.
Victory would have seen Benitez enjoy his best start to a Premier League season, but his side lacked a cutting edge as they played the final 30 minutes with no recognised striker on the pitch after Rondon was replaced by Andre Gomes.
Not long after, the floodgates began to open as Villa sprung into life.
Smith’s side are now unbeaten in five league games against Everton since their 2019 return to the Premier League, and are enjoying their longest run without defeat at Villa Park in the top flight since January 2015.
Player of the match
BaileyLeon Bailey
Aston Villa
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Squad number31Player nameBailey
Average rating8.70
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Squad number2Player nameCash
Average rating8.09
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Squad number5Player nameMings
Average rating8.06
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Squad number6Player nameDouglas Luiz
Average rating7.56
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Squad number19Player nameNakamba
Average rating7.50
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Squad number41Player nameRamsey
Average rating7.49
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Squad number20Player nameIngs
Average rating7.35
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Squad number11Player nameWatkins
Average rating7.33
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Squad number4Player nameKonsa
Average rating7.31
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Squad number16Player nameTuanzebe
Average rating7.23
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Squad number1Player nameMartínez
Average rating7.07
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Squad number3Player nameTargett
Average rating7.06
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Squad number7Player nameMcGinn
Average rating6.96
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Squad number15Player nameTraoré
Average rating6.28
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Squad number18Player nameYoung
Average rating6.08
Everton
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Squad number11Player nameGray
Average rating5.65
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Squad number16Player nameDoucouré
Average rating5.00
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Squad number14Player nameTownsend
Average rating4.93
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Squad number6Player nameAllan
Average rating4.92
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Squad number15Player nameBegovic
Average rating4.76
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Squad number5Player nameKeane
Average rating4.75
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Squad number13Player nameMina
Average rating4.73
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Squad number22Player nameGodfrey
Average rating4.63
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Squad number17Player nameIwobi
Average rating4.49
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Squad number33Player nameRondón
Average rating4.44
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Squad number12Player nameDigne
Average rating4.06
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Squad number21Player nameAndré Gomes
Average rating3.66
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Squad number24Player nameGordon
Average rating3.59
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Squad number2Player nameKenny
Average rating3.58
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Squad number26Player nameDavies
Average rating3.51
Line-ups
Aston Villa
Formation 5-3-2
- 1Martínez
- 2CashSubstituted forTraoréat 86′minutes
- 4Konsa
- 16Tuanzebe
- 5Mings
- 3TargettSubstituted forBaileyat 61′minutesBooked at 76minsSubstituted forYoungat 82′minutes
- 41Ramsey
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 7McGinnSubstituted forNakambaat 40′minutes
- 20Ings
- 11Watkins
Substitutes
- 10Buendía
- 12Steer
- 15Traoré
- 18Young
- 19Nakamba
- 21El Ghazi
- 30Hause
- 31Bailey
- 35Archer
Everton
Formation 4-4-1-1
- 15Begovic
- 22GodfreyBooked at 72minsSubstituted forKennyat 80′minutes
- 13Mina
- 5Keane
- 12Digne
- 14Townsend
- 16Doucouré
- 6AllanSubstituted forGordonat 72′minutes
- 17IwobiSubstituted forDaviesat 81′minutes
- 11Gray
- 33RondónSubstituted forAndré Gomesat 63′minutes
Substitutes
- 2Kenny
- 4Holgate
- 21André Gomes
- 24Gordon
- 26Davies
- 31Lonergan
- 32Branthwaite
- 50Simms
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 41,888
Match Stats
Live Text
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Match ends, Aston Villa 3, Everton 0.
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Second Half ends, Aston Villa 3, Everton 0.
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Attempt blocked. Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Ollie Watkins.
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Attempt blocked. Bertrand Traoré (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Douglas Luiz.
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Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Yerry Mina.
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Attempt blocked. Tom Davies (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Andros Townsend.
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Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Anthony Gordon (Everton).
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Substitution, Aston Villa. Bertrand Traoré replaces Matthew Cash.
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Attempt missed. Michael Keane (Everton) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses the top left corner. Assisted by Lucas Digne with a cross following a set piece situation.
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Foul by Matthew Cash (Aston Villa).
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Anthony Gordon (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Tom Davies (Everton).
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Substitution, Aston Villa. Ashley Young replaces Leon Bailey because of an injury.
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Substitution, Everton. Tom Davies replaces Alex Iwobi.
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Substitution, Everton. Jonjoe Kenny replaces Ben Godfrey.
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Attempt blocked. André Gomes (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
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Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by André Gomes (Everton).
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