Aston Villa 1 Everton 3 match report
Paul Lambert's first home game as Aston Villa boss ended in a tepid defeat as a rampant Everton side cruised to victory.
Paul Lambert's first home game as Aston Villa boss ended in a tepid defeat as a rampant Everton side cruised to victory.
Steven Pienaar, Marouane Fellaini and Nikica Jelavic all found the net as Everton raced into a 3-0 lead at half-time following an abject first-half display from the claret and blues.
Ciaran Clark was sent off after the break for Villa before Karim El Ahmadi pulled a goal back for the home side with a spectacular long-range strike but, in truth, the scoreline flattered Villa as Everton spurned numerous chances to increase the margin of victory.
Lambert made three changes from the side which lost 1-0 at West Ham as Nathan Delfouneso, Barry Bannan and Chris Herd came in for Stephen Ireland, Brett Holman and Fabian Delph.
Everton flew out of the blocks and opened the scoring thanks to a brilliant curling effort from midfielder Pienaar in the third minute of the game.
Some brilliant interplay around the corner of the Villa box saw Pienaar play a one-two with Steven Naismith before the South African bent the ball into the top-right corner of the net.
Moments later the visitors almost doubled their lead when Pienaar delivered a low cross into the penalty area which Jelavic stretched to reach and could only direct wide of Shay Given's goal.
Everton continued to play vibrant football in contrast to Villa who were sluggish in possession and toothless in attack with captain Darren Bent isolated for long periods of the game.
It was, therefore, no surprise that the Toffees scored a second in the 31st minute when Phil Jagielka delivered a high cross into the box and Marouane Fellaini outmuscled Clark and saw his header parried into the net by Given.
Everton were rampant at this stage and Darron Gibson went close with a sweetly-struck shot from distance while Jelavic headed wide from a Leighton Baines corner.
The visitors, however, had their third in the 43rd minute when the excellent Baines delivered a cross into the area and with the Villa defence at sixes and sevens Jelavic tapped home from close range.
Villa finally managed a meaningful attempt on goal shortly before the half-time when Bannan struck a speculative shot from distance which Everton keeper Tim Howard gathered easily.
If Lambert thought Everton's players would take their foot off the gas in the second half he was very much mistaken and Nathan Baker twice got them out of jail to deny Jelavic and Pienaar with last-ditch blocks shortly after the interval.
Sylvain Distin saw a header cleared off the line while Pienaar brought a fine save out of Given with a stinging shot before Villa's afternoon went from bad to worse as last man Clark was harshly sent off when he accidentally clipped the heels of Jelavic.
The claret and blue faithful finally had something to cheer about in the 74th minute when El Ahmadi's long-range strike swerved and caught Howard on his heels to nestle into the net.
Everton's players began to tire late in the game and substitute Andreas Weimann struck the base of the post late in the 89th minute but Bent saw his attempt from the rebound cleared.
By Timothy Abraham
