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Can Everton maintain unbeaten start at Villans

By Matt Townsend

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 13: Keinan Davis of Aston Villa is challenged by Allan of Everton during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Everton at Villa Park on May 13, 2021 in Birmingham, England. Sporting stadiums around England remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Carl Recine - Pool/Getty Images)
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 13: Keinan Davis of Aston Villa is challenged by Allan of Everton during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and Everton at Villa Park on May 13, 2021 in Birmingham, England. Sporting stadiums around England remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Carl Recine - Pool/Getty Images) /
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After an excellent start to the 2021-22 season Everton now face a talented but so far inconsistent Aston Villa side on Saturday evening.

Everton have begun their Premier League campaign with three wins and a draw and sit comfortably in fourth having scored ten goals as well, only Manchester United and City have scored more.

Monday’s 3-1 win over Burnley at Goodison Park again showed the degree to which this Blues side has been improved since the end of last season.

The Toffees certainly weren’t at their best for the first forty-five minutes against the Clarets and it was reminiscent of the sort of performance we got used to seeing all too often last term at the Grand Old Lady.

And when Burnley took the lead early in the second half Everton didn’t look very likely to come back from it, at least for several minutes anyway.

Then Andros Townsend put in a good cross and Michael Keane, somewhat against the run of play, rose to head home and make it 1-1.

Now, instead of sticking to the team he’d picked to start with, Rafa Benitez went ahead with the change he had presumably been contemplating and brought on Andre Gomes for Ben Godfrey shifting to a back four after starting with three defenders.

The Toffees had upped their game superbly now and after two excellent goals from Townsend and Demarai Gray they ran out winners again.

This seems to me to be a marked change in mentality. In the recent past the Blues woudn’t have probably gone on to win the match and would instead have settled for a point.

The urgency, pace and attacking intent of the team on Monday night was a breath of fresh air and in keeping with how Benitez’s side have been playing since opening day.

As on that day against Southampton, Benitez made a positive change in the team’s tactics and it worked as his willingness to change things when it’s not going well is proving very effective.

Contrast this with some occasions last season when Everton’s football was slow, predictable and unable to turn around a match like Monday’s. And too often tactical and team changes made were either too late or ineffective.

I’m not having a pop at Carlo Ancelotti, who after all he bought midfield pair Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure who have been outstanding this season, it’s simply to point out that for several reasons Ancelotti’s side couldn’t do this.

The most obvious factor is the much improved pace and width that has been generated by the signings of Townsend and Gray.

Another reason is how Benitez has prompted those two midfielders take a much more adventurous approach rather than the shackled way they played under his predecessor.

Well now comes a difficult test away at Villa a team that having lost talisman Jack Grealish to Manchester City then spent big signing a number of quality players this summer.

However, results haven’t been consistent so far perhaps to some extent as a consequece of trying to integrate so many new players into a team that was geared and built around Grealish’s talents.

One of those new players who I hope doesn’t return to haunt the Blues is Danny Ings. The former Saints striker has a nasty habit of scoring against Everton so he’ll be confident preparing for tomorrow’s match.

As for the Toffees Benitez confirmed what everyone expected, that Dominic Calvert-Lewin is out with his toe injury for a few more weeks and Fabian Delph is also still recovering from his latest problem.

James Rodriguez is training well apparently but is still not fully match fit according to the manager and so he’s probably a few games away from returning to the squad.

Given the problems Everton had in the first half getting going I imagaine the manager will go back to a flat back four in defencce.

Up front Richarlison struggled to make a significant impact filling in at centre-forward but he worked hard and was up against a very physically aggresive team in Burnley.

If Benitez goes back to his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation tomorrow then perhaps if he’s fit, Alex Iwobi might come into the team alongside Townsend and Gray behind Richarlison giving the Brazilian more direct support, something that was lacking in the first half on Monday.

This is another challenging away ficture against a talented and dangerous Villa side and this is a difficult game to call.

At any rate I don’t think the Blues can afford to start as slowly as they did against the Clarets and so a more energetic and urgent performance will be required from the kick-off.