Aston Villa 3 Everton 0 - Report

Dean Smith’s team had been ponderous in attack before Matty Cash broke the deadlock, blasting home his first goal for the club.

Villa doubled their lead three minutes later when Lucas Digne headed Leon Bailey’s corner into his net.

Substitute Bailey then put the icing on the cake when he fired home his maiden Villa goal.

Analysis

The Jamaica international’s afternoon ended on a sour note when he left the field with an apparent thigh injury just a few minutes later.

Smith and Villa’s supporters will hope the injury is not too serious after his stunning cameo in this match.

For more than an hour Villa, while slightly the better team, had largely huffed and puffed as an attacking force.

Cash’s goal brought around a remarkable transformation as an Everton team missing several key players were demolished in the space of just a few minutes.

Bailey came close to scoring directly from a corner which was flicked beyond keeper Asmir Begovic by Digne. The goal he did score 15 minutes from time was a devastating finish, after a brilliant pass from Danny Ings had set him clear.

After a frustrating opening month to the season due to injuries and the complications of international call-ups, this was the day when it finally felt Villa’s season got up and running, as they gave an exciting glimpse of what may be ahead.

The return of Emi Martinez in place of Jed Steer in goal was the only change from the XI which started the previous weekend’s 3-0 defeat at Chelsea, with Smith sticking to a three-man defence.

More interesting was Everton’s team news with Jordan Pickford, Richarlison and skipper Seamus Coleman all missing out through injury. Asmir Begovic, making his first Premier League appearance since April 2019, replaced Pickford in goal.

The Everton new boys had busy starts to the match, Rondon seeing a close range effort deflected behind off the boot of Axel Tuanzebe before glancing the resulting corner over the bar.

A couple of minutes later when Tyrone Mings got his header from Douglas Luiz’s corner on target, Begovic denied him with a brilliant one-handed stop, Michael Keane outjumping John McGinn to prevent the Scot heading in the loose ball.

Villa went close again when Ings volleyed just off target after a training ground free-kick routine which ended with Mings knocking the ball down for the striker.

But in open play Villa’s attacks lacked fluency with the final ball too often poor. Everton, meanwhile, looked dangerous on the counter, Demarai Gray sending a cross just out of Rondon’s reach.

Ollie Watkins was struggling to get much change out of the visiting defence. On the one occasion he did cause some confusion, Cash pulled a left-footed shot just wide.

John McGinn also sent an effort skidding just off target but five minutes before the break his evening was over, Villa making a concussion substitute with the Scot still feeling the effects of an earlier clash.

Villa looked to find some added impetus after the break but when Watkins headed Matt Targett’s cross back toward Ings, Yerry Mina was alert to clear.

Everton continued to look dangerous. Konsa was fortunate not to be penalised for dragging back Gray on the edge of the box, with the latter then sending a shot just wide of the target.

Then, in what felt link the blink of an eye, Villa went through the gears to devastating effect.

Cash’s maiden goal for the club was the result of a fine move, which started at the back with Ezri Konsa and went through Ings before Luiz set the full-back racing into the box with a well-weighted pass. Having shrugged off the challenge of Digne, Cash drilled a fierce finish into the roof of the net and then sprinted nearly the entire length of the pitch to celebrate.

From there, the floodgates opened. Three minutes later, Villa’s lead was doubled when Bailey whipped in a vicious inswinging corner and Digne could only get enough contact to direct it beyond Begovic.

Ramsey came close to making it three in four minutes when he burst from midfield and sent a shot whistling just wide.

When Bailey got the chance, he made no mistake. Having been sent running clear by Ings’ clever lofted pass, the Jamaica international used his head to bring the ball under control before blasing a left-footed shot beyond Begovic.

The only shame for Bailey and the crowd was his afternoon lasted only six minutes longer as he was forced off by injury.

Keane almost grabbed a consolation for the visitors when he headed wide but they were well beaten.

Key Moments

66 GOAL Matty Cash breaks the deadlock at Villa Park with his first Villa goal, shooting high into the net to complete a fine move.

69 GOAL Villa double their lead when Lucas Digne nods Leon Bailey’s corner into his own net.

75 GOAL Bailey scored Villa’s third, blasting home after being sent clear by Danny Ings’ clever lofted pass.

Teams

Villa (3-5-2): Martinez, Konsa, Tuanzebe, Mings (c), Cash (Traore 86), McGinn (Nakamba 40), Luiz, Ramsey, Targett (Bailey 61 (Young 81)), Ings, Watkins Subs not used: Hause, Buendia, El Ghazi, Archer, Steer (gk).

Everton (4-3-3): Begovic,Godfrey, Mina, Keane, Digne (c), Iwobi (Davies 81), Allan (Gordon 73), Doucoure, Townsend, Rondon (Gomes 63), Gray Subs not used: Holgate, Branthwaite, Simms, Lonergan (gk).