Aston Villa vs Everton prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2023-08-19 13:00.
Another chapter is to be written in this, one of England’s most prominent fixtures, as both Aston Villa and Everton meet for the 211th time in the league. Each contest has been played out in the top-flight, and no other two English teams have met more. But the H2H significance will be an afterthought for both sides who started their new Premier League (PL) campaigns with a defeat, with Villa conceding five in an opening-day game for the first time since 1951!
The impact of that 5-1 defeat to Newcastle was amplified by the injury sustained to Tyrone Mings, who like fellow key player Emiliano BuendĂa, is set to be sidelined for a lengthy spell due to a knee injury. With positives having been at a premium this past week, the Villains might welcome the arrival of Everton to Villa Park given their strong recent H2H record against the Toffees, avoiding defeat in each of the last eight meetings (W6, D2).
Last week’s 1-0 defeat might have signalled Everton are set for much of the same drab performances that have seen them fighting to stave off relegation in each of the last two campaigns. However, their xG of 2.73 (Opta) – the highest figure recorded for any top-flight side without scoring since September 2022 – shows wasteful finishing combined with some bad fortune cost them a positive result.
Even so, they now face the prospect of losing back-to-back opening league games in successive seasons for the first time since 1956/57. Everton’s gameweek two loss last year also came at this very venue (2-1), which isn’t a great omen for travelling Toffees, and that was the only occasion Everton managed to score at Villa Park in their last four visits (D1, L3).
Players to watch: Ollie Watkins set up Villa’s only goal at Newcastle – he also got an assist in the H2H meeting here last year and has 100% win record against Everton (P5, G2, A2). Neal Maupay – who hit three shots on target against Fulham – must be due a change of fortune in front of goal. He’s attempted 29 shots and made 26 PL appearances since his last Everton goal.
Hot streak: Villa have opened the scoring inside 30 minutes in each of their last four home PL matches.