Carlo Ancelotti speaks: “The way we made a lot of mistakes at the beginning - no balance, no concentration... it was not a good evening,” the Everton boss tells the BBC. “I don’t know why. They showed more desire. It was an important game that we tried to win to stay in the fight. We are still in the fight but it is more and more difficult.
On his team’s home struggles: “It is difficult to say why. It is the same team who beat Arsenal seven days ago. We of course could do better at home for sure. It is unbelievable - the run we had away and the run we had at home.
“We were not good. We didn’t have good balance with the ball and difficulties. The season is not finish yet. There are five games and we have to keep fighting. They are important games to fight and to try and reach our target.”
Match report: Everton 1-2 Aston Villa
Premier League: Ollie Watkins and Anwar El Ghazi got the goals as Aston Villa consigned Everton to yet another home defeat. Richard Jolly was there ...
Dean Smith speaks: “I thought it was a really good performance which was the main thing,” he tells the BBC. “We have lacked a little consistency of late. We took the game to a strong Everton team.
“I thought we created the better chances in the first half then we were denied by a really good goalkeeping performance. It was a great goal to win it with.
On the continued absence of Jack Grealish: Everybody will find it difficult without Jack,” he says. He is a very talented player but we have tried to build some consistency and momemtum.”
On the performance of Ollie Watkins: “That’s what Ollie can do - pick pocket the ball off centre-halves. His all round game is getting better and better. Anwar El-Ghazi showed the class he has. We want to see him do that more often but with the goals he has scored it shows he’s done okay.”
Ollie Watkins speaks: “It’s been a long time coming,” the Villa striker tells BT Sport. “We haven’t been playing too well as of late. It was nice to get three points, away from home as well. I think I could have done better with a few chances ... Pickford’s made a great save off my knee. I think I should be leaving tonight with two or three goals.”
Did he know Gareth Southgate was watching tonight: “No, I didn’t actually,” he says. “It seems to be the regular question that I get. No matter who’s wastching, you’ve just got to go out and do your best, as cliched as that sounds. Just work hard and get on with it.”
On the possibility of playing in the Euros: “Any international game is magical,”he says. “Look, I’m just concentrating on club form and trying to contribute to as many goals as I can and trying to push into that Europe spot and we’ll see what happens.”
The table: Everton stay in eighth position nine points off fourth place and one point shy of Tottenham Hotspur in seventh. Villa have leapfrogged Leeds to go ninth, four points behind the side they just beat.
Full-time: Everton 1-2 Aston Villa
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over at Goodison Park, where Aston Villa have won by the odd goal of three to move to ninth in the table. They were deserved winners, taking the lead through Ollie Watkins only for his opener to be cancelled out by Dominic Calvert-Lewin before half-time. Both teams squandered several decent chances before Anwar El-Ghazi settled the game with just 10 minutes left on the clock.
90+3 min: Ross Barkley hacks clear from the edge of the Villa penalty area as Everton throw the kitchen sink at their visitors.
90+2 min: Aston Villa substitution: Keinan Davies on for Anwar El-ghazi, who just got booked for something or other.
90 min: This hasn’t been a classic case of Everton doing an “Everton” and wilting under the pressure of expectation or possible over-achievement. They’ve played reasonably well tonight and can’t be faulted for effort but Aston Villa have just been that little bit more clinical than they were.
88 min: Villa substitution: Jacob Ramsey on for Bertrand Traore, who has played well.
88 min: Villa free-kick, wide on the left. Nothing comes of it.
86 min: Now Aston Villa’s defenders back off Josh King, who is given all the time in the world to pick his spot and shoot from the edge of the area. Despite their largesse, he picks the wrong spot and pulls his effort well wide of the upright.
83 min: That was a fine team goal from Aston Villa, who broke upfield after winning the ball on halfway, pinging passes to each other. Bertrand Traore picked out El-Ghazi on the edge of the area and with Everton’s defenders – specifically Seamus Coleman – standing off him, he took aim and curled the ball around Pickford and inside the upright.
82 min: Everton substitution: Gylfi Sigurdsson off, Josh King on.
GOAL! Everton 1-2 Aston Villa (El-Ghazi 80)
Villa lead. Anwar El-Ghazi puts them ahead with a wonderful curled finish from the edge of the Everton penalty area, just inside the D.
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79 min: A promising looking move from Aston Villa, instigated by Matty Cash, breaks down when Douglas Luiz runs into traffic on the edge of the Everton penalty area.
76 min: Everton substitution: Alex Iwobi off, Bernard on.
75 min: Everton rampage forward and Sigurdsson curls an inch-perfect pass wide to Digne on the left touchline. He combines with Delph and the ball finds its way back to Sigurdsson, who shoots low, hard and straight at Martinez in the Villa goal.
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74 min: Villa win a free-kick halfway inside their own half. They lump the ball long towards the corner flag but Everton clear.
71 min: The game is still being played at quite a lick but it’s far scrappier than in the first half, with fewer chances being created. Difficult to pick a likely winner at the moment.
69 min: Everton substitution: Andres Gomes off, Fabian Delph on.
67 min: Lucas Digne requires treatment after Ollie Watkins landed on top of him as the pair contested a high ball. He’s walking a little gingerly but seems OK to continue.
63 min: Villa corner. Lucas Digne eventually hacks clear after the ball pings hither and yon around the Everton penalty area.
61 min: Ben Godfrey looks to have set up Gylfi to smash the ball home from outside the penalty area, rolling the ball into his path. Instead of pulling the trigger, the Icelandic international attempts to tee up Calvert-Lewin, who was up in support on his right ... but passes straight to a Villa shirt instead. Sigurdsson immediately waves a hand by way of apology.
60 min: A rare lull in an otherwise terrific game as four minutes pass without either side fashioning anything resembling a chance.
56 min: A fairly poor cross from Iwobi is hacked clear at the near post.
54 min: A long ball from Pickford is miscued off the head of Konsa, who sends the ball looping behind him. Richarlison sprints through to pounce but sends his low diagonal effort well wide of the far post from a narrow angle.
52 min: Mings sticks out a leg to intercept an attempted Sigurdsson through ball to Richarlison. Crucial.
50 min: Matt Targett does well to shepherd the ball out of play under pressure from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who appeals in vain for a corner.
48 min: Villa get forward down the right and win a throw-in near the corner flag.
47 min: Villa win a corner. Everton clear it.
Second half: Everton 1-1 Aston Villa
46 min: Villa’s Douglas Luiz gets the ball rolling in the second half. There are no changes in personnel on either side.
Half-time: Everton 1-1 Aston Villa
Peep! A tremendously entertaining half of end-to-end football draws to a close with the score somehow still only 1-1. Everton have had two shots on target, while Villa have had six (not including the two or three times they hit the woodwork). It’s made for great viewing; more please.
45+1 min: Targett and El-Ghazi unwittingly combine to almost-but-not-quite score into their own net at an Everton corner.
43 min: Ollie Watkins pulls a shot wide of the far post from a tight angle after running on to a through ball that was defelcted his way off Godfrey. His shot took a deflection on the way and Villa win a corner. Nothing comes of it.
42 min: Free-kick for Everton wide on the left, for a Douglas Luiz foul on Richarlison that earns the Villa midfielder a yellow card. Gylfi Sigurdsson’s inswinger is cleared.
39 min: Iwobi escapes upfield on the counter and tries to pick out Calvert-Lewin. His pass is inch-perfect and with a better touch Everton’s striker could have beaten his man and put himself through on goal. Sadly, he miscontrolled and the opportunity got away from him.
37 min: Ross Barkley thumps the ball off the foot of the left-upright from 22 yards out.
33 min: Gylfi SIgurdsson sends the ball whistling over the Villa cross-bar from distance. It was another decent effort in a very entertaining first half.
32 min: How have Villa not scored there?!?! A fantastic cross from Matty Cash is met by Watkins at the far post. He brings an astonishing save out of Pickford from three yards out and then El Ghazi rattles the cross-bar with the follow-up.
29 min: Bertrand Traore escapes down the inside left after a mistake by Richarlison but is shepherded wide by Pickford, who prods the ball away from him before retreating back towards his own goal. Traore attempts to curl the ball into the top left-hand corner, but the retreating Pickford manages to claw it out for a corner.
28 min: Villa win a free-kick outsidxe the Everton penalty area and Ross Barkley tries his luck. Over the bar.
26 min: Matty Targett needs treatment after catching Ricvharlison with the follow-through as he attempted to hoof the ball clear. West Ham’s Fabian Balbueno got sent off for less last weekend.
24 min: Calvert-Lewin steers a diving header straight at Emi Martinez form close range, getting between defenders to fling himself at a Richarlison volleyed cross from the left.
22 min: A wonderful first touch almost puts Bertrand Traore through on the Everton goal but his comparatively second touch slowed him down. Everton scramble clear courtesy of Ben Godfrey.
GOAL! Everton 1-1 Aston Villa (Calvert-Lewin 19)
Everton equalise! A corner on the right. The ball is swung towards the far post, where Dominic Calvert-Lewin had arrived at the end of an arcing run through the Villa penalty area. He rose and headed home from about five feet out. That’s an excellent header - he was leaning backwards but managed to steer it home from a tight angle.
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17 min: Watkins is causing Everton all sorts of problems with his speed. This time he gives Godsfrey the slip to latch on to a long ball from the back, but Pickford is able to save his effort from a very tight angle.
16 min: Watkins needs treatment on a knock to the face from Holgate as the pair contested a high ball. It was completely accidental ... I think, but the Everton defender drew blood.
14 min: In possession of the ball about 10 yards outside his own penalty area, Mason Holgate dithered and had his pocket picked by Watkins. The Villa striker needed a couple of attempts to get clean away from the scrambling Everton defender, but eventually put distance between them before slotting past Pickford into the bottom left-hand corner.
GOAL! Everton 0-1 Aston Villa (Watkins 13)
Villa lead! It’s an opportunistic effort from Ollie Watkins, who capitalises on some Mason Holgate dithering to give his side the lead.
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10 min: Digne and Andre Gomes combine in midfield for Everton, but the former’s passing lane to Richarlison on the left touchline is cut off by Villa. The ball is played backwards.
9 min: El Ghazi is penalised for barging and Everton win a free-kick just outside their own penalty area. The ball is played back to Pickford, who sends it forward.
6 min: McGinn tries his luck from outside the Everton penalty area, unleashing a surface to air effort. He was leaning back as he struck the ball and it sails high over the bar.
5 min: John McGinn plays an inch-=perfect long diagonal towards Anwar El Ghazi on the left touchline. He’s unable to get a cross in.
4 min: Richarlison goes down injured after a collision with Cash. He seems to have hurt is arm but is fit to carry on.
3 min: Matty Cash takes a throw-in for Villa deep inside his own half. His side is already under pressure in these early stages.
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2 min: Alex Iwobi, Everton’s last-minute call-up has the first shot of the game. It’s blocked by Ezri Konsa.
Everton v Aston Villa is go ...
1 min: Everton kick off on the whistle of referee Simon Hooper and immediately lump the ball long towards the corner flag. It goes out for a goal-kick and Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez gets his first touch.
Not long now: The teams are out on the pitch, Everton’s Lucas Digne holding aloft a tablet bearing the visage of a “virtual mascot” who can’t be at Goodison Park tonight. Kick-off at Goodison Park is just a few moments away.
Iwobi comes in: The presumption is that he’ll play on right wing, Richarlison will move across to the left and Gylfi Sigurdsson will play in the middle of the three behind lone striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
A late change for Everton: And it’s quite a significant one - James Rodriguez has suffered a last-minute injury and will be replaced by Alex Iwobi.
Full time: Chelsea 2-0 Fulham
Premier League: Kai Havertz scored both goals as Chelsea edged Fulham closer to the abyss at Stamford Bridge.
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Those teams: It’s a rare unchanged side from Carlo Ancelotti, who goes with the same starting eleven that beat Arsenal last time out.
Dean Smith, by contrast, rings the changes. Well, one change: Matty Cash is in for Ahmed El Mohamady, as expected.
Everton v Aston Villa line-ups
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Digne, Godfrey, Holgate, Allan, Gomes, Sigurdsson, Rodriguez (injured in warm-up), Iwobi, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.
Subs: Olsen, Keane, Delph, King, Mina, Iwobi , Nkounkou, Bernard, Davies.
Aston Villa: Martinez, Cash, Targett, Konsa, Mings, Luiz, McGinn, Barkley, El Ghazi, Traore, Watkins.
Subs: Heaton, Taylor, Wesley, Nakamba, Hause, Davis, Ramsey, Elmohamady, Philogene-Bidace.
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Tonight’s match officials
- Referee: Simon Hooper.
- Assistants: Harry Lennard and Derek Eaton.
- Fourth official: Andy Madley.
- VAR: Graham Scott.
- Assistant VAR: Peter Kirkup.
Early team news
For Aston Villa, Jack Grealish remains sidelined with whatever it is that’s kept him out since 13 February, while Morgan Sanson and Trezeguet are also out. Matty Cash sat out last Sunday night’s draw against West Brom, his suspension allowing him to stay home and watch Line of Duty instead. He could start tonight instead of Ahmed Elmohamady.
Keinan Davis came off the bench to score his long overdue maiden Premier League goal against West Brom, a strike that could earn him a start tonight at the expense of Anwar El Ghazi or Bertrand Traore. Should Davis start, Ollie Watkins could move out wide.
Everton are without Abdoulaye Doucoure and the luckless Jean-Philippe Gbamin, while Michael Keane may need to undergho a fitness test after missing Eveerton’s win over Arsenal with a hamstring injury. Josh King is believed to have recovered from a back injury.
Premier League: Everton v Aston Villa
Goodison Park is the venue for a game that is crucial for a preposterously inconsistent Everton sides chances of qualifying for Europe next season. Carlo Ancelotti’s side could still conceivably qualify for the Champions League, but a place in the Europa League seems more attainable. A win today would take them level on points with West Ham, three points behind fourth-placed Chelsea having played the same number of games.
Comfortably ensconced in mid-table and struggling in the absence of Jack Grealish, Aston Villa constitute the kind of opposition Ancelotti would have handpicked, given the choice but Everton being Everton, the kindness of the fixture generator is no guarantee of success. Dean Smith has masterminded just one win in Villa’s past eight games but will see tonight as an opportunity to get his team back to winning ways - one suspects the first goal tonight could be crucial. Kick-off at Goodison Park is at 8pm but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.
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