English Premier
2026-01-18 - Aston Villa vs Everton
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Sunday 18th January 2025 - Kick Off 4:30pm
This game is live on TV
Aston Villa
Unai Emery will be hoping Aston Villa can tie up a couple of deals that will allow the team to build on the foundations that have been laid. The Europa League will underway again soon and Aston Villa are also in a strong position for a return to the Champions League via a top four finish in the Premier League, while the win at Tottenham Hotspur has gotten another FA Cup push underway.
This is a club still moving in a very positive direction and Aston Villa are 3rd in the Premier League table and 6 points behind leaders Arsenal. Most importantly, they are holding a 10 point lead over 5th placed Brentford and Aston Villa have put together a solid 8-1-1 record at Villa Park in the top flight.
Aston Villa's long winning run was ended in a 4-1 loss at Arsenal at the end of December, but they have bounced back to go unbeaten in 3 games in all competitions and have won twice in that run. This weekend the side will be looking for a twelfth straight win at Villa Park in all competitions.
Evan Guissand is expected to be available having returned from representing Ivory Coast in the African Cup of Nations. Emiliano Martinez is hoping to be available, but Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana are doubts.
Everton
Thirty years will become thirty-one when this season concludes- this is the time that has passed since Everton last won silverware and being beaten in the FA Cup Third Round has ended hopes of changing that this time around. David Moyes will still be looking to take Everton back into European Football, but he will want to see a bit more consistency from his squad over the coming weeks and months.
The Toffees have slumped to 12th in the Premier League table, but they are still only 4 points behind 5th place Brentford and with only League commitments left. A 4-2-4 away record has seen Everton score 9 goals, but concede 10 in those fixtures played.
Everton have won 1 of the last 7 games played in all competitions and were dumped out of the FA Cup on Penalties at home against Sunderland last weekend. Surprisingly the away form has been steadier than the home in recent weeks and Everton have lost 1 of the last 6 fixtures played away from Hill Dickinson Stadium, while they were 0-2 winners at Nottingham Forest most recently.
Michael Keane is suspended, while the likes of Seamus Coleman, Jarrad Branthwaite and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are doubts.
Head to Head
These teams played out a goalless draw when they faced one another back in September.
Aston Villa recovered from 0-2 down to beat Everton 3-2 at Villa Park last season and have won the last 4 home Premier League fixtures against this opponent.
Prediction
Sometimes a long winning run or unbeaten run ending can spark a downturn in form as fans of Crystal Palace may point out.
Unai Emery has to be given a lot of credit for making sure his Aston Villa squad have remained focused, even after the thumping loss at Arsenal, and the team continues to churn out strong results.
Making it more impressive is the fact that the underlying numbers have been stronger in recent outings with some suggesting Aston Villa had been overachieving prior to the game at the Emirates Stadium. Since then they have been well balanced between attack and defence and Aston Villa have restored the good feeling of playing at home after a sticky start to the campaign.
There is still considerable work to get through if Aston Villa are going to return to the Champions League, but they have put together a strong foundation and silverware will also be high on the agenda.
Aston Villa should have too much for Everton, although David Moyes' team cannot be underestimated.
They are the epitome of inconsistency in the Premier League and you cannot always know what to expect from a team that can win at Old Trafford and the City Ground without conceding a goal, but then lost at home to Brentford while conceding four times.
It has been a tough couple of weeks for Everton as key players have been missing through injury, suspension or international call-ups and that has perhaps contributed to the relatively poor run.
The Toffees have also lost each of the last 4 Premier League games played at Villa Park and they may not be able to contain the hosts, who have won 11 in a row at home in all competitions.
The likelihood is that Aston Villa will have the majority of the play in this one and they should have the quality needed to beat Everton for a fifth time in a row in the League at Villa Park.
Important attacking players look to be in good form and there is some depth in the Aston Villa squad that should lead to another three points this Sunday.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Aston Villa 2-0 Everton
