Analysis: Diego Carlos blow knocks gloss off welcome Aston Villa win

The good news for Steven Gerrard was his team avoided the embarrassment of surrendering a two-goal lead, clinging on for a victory to provide their manager some needed cheer after a tricky opening week to the campaign.

Yet the sight of new signing Diego Carlos leaving Villa Park on crutches and in a protective boot meant the Villa boss could not enjoy the moment as much as he might.

“Extremely worried,” was Gerrard’s summation of the ankle injury sustained by the Brazilian centre-back as Villa fought to prevent Everton snatching the unlikeliest of draws at the death.

It was no exaggeration. At £26million, Carlos was Villa’s most expensive summer purchase and a key part of Gerrard’s plan to strengthen the spine of his team and provide serious competition for Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings at the heart of defence. An extended absence would be a significant blow, the like of which could even force the club to alter its plans for the remainder of the transfer window.

It is just as well the awkward situation with Mings appears to have been resolved. Though Gerrard’s post-match claim the former skipper had been left out of the opening day defeat at Bournemouth purely due to injury felt a futile attempt to rescue a narrative long since out of his control, all that really mattered was recalling him against the Toffees was the right decision.

Despite one misjudgment late in the first half, when he jumped under a cross, Mings was close to his commanding best. With Carlos facing a potentially lengthy spell on the sidelines, Villa and Gerrard will need him to stay there.

The manager also reaped the rewards of restoring Ollie Watkins to the line-up. Though Mings’ opening day omission might have made more headlines and column inches, the absence of Villa’s top scorer in each of the last two seasons was probably more perplexing. While Watkins might not have marked his return by getting on the scoresheet, he did set up both of Villa’s goals.

The first provided a timely reminder of his ability to stretch play and defences. Chasing John McGinn’s lofted ball down the right flank, Watkins found Danny Ings in the box and though his strike partner’s first touch was a long way from perfect, the second and third more than made up for it as he created space before firing a low left-footed finish beyond Jordan Pickford.

Villa had chances to increase their lead before eventually doing so five minutes from time when Watkins raced on to a pass from Emi Buendia, before squaring for the playmaker to tap home.

Had Watkins then converted when through on goal shortly after Lucas Digne’s own goal had given Everton hope, the final minutes would have been far less fraught. Yet even allowing for his occasional lack of composure, Villa are undoubtedly a better team with him in it.

The bigger issue is who plays behind the front two. In truth, it may no longer be much of a question. Gerrard later explained how he would have handed Buendia the start against Everton had a minor niggle not disrupted the Argentine’s preparation. So much more effective were Villa as an attacking force when he did replace Philippe Coutinho on the hour mark, it would be a surprise if he did not now get the nod at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The season remains very much in its infancy yet Coutinho’s largely anonymous outings in the opening two matches are a slight cause for concern. Villa and Gerrard need to see more.

One player who did make a big impression was Boubacar Kamara. Early indications are the France international might be Villa’s most significant new recruit of the window, providing the disciplined deep-lying midfield cover they so often lacked last term.

Kamara won possession three times inside the opening five minutes and when he had the ball used it well. He also had the happy knack – the like of which you wonder can ever be taught – of being in the right place at the right time. Arguably his most important intervention came moments before the break when Mings jumped under a cross, the ball bounced off an unsuspecting Demarai Gray and from inside his own six-yard box, Kamara hammered it clear.

His harrying, combined with that of substitute Leon Bailey, also helped Villa win possession in the build-up to Buendia’s goal.

From there, it should have been cruise. It proved anything but, as Everton netted within 20 seconds of the restart and when Carlos was helped off the pitch five minutes into stoppage time, this most forgettable of matches had its unfortunate epilogue.