Everton Vs Aston Villa Betting – Saturday 31st October

 

Everton V Aston Villa

 

Kick-off: Saturday 31st October – 15:00 GMT

Venue: Goodison Park

 

 

Everton

 

League Position: 14th

Recent Form: WWDDL

  

When it rains it pours and that’s certainly the case for Everton fans right now. Being on the wrong end of a 5-0 mauling in Europe against Benfica was bad enough but to throw away points in a Premiership fixture was just the cherry on a very crude cake for Toffee followers. Everton fell to their fourth defeat of the season last Sunday when they failed to concentrate for the full 90 minutes and were duly punished late on by Ivan Klasnic of Bolton, losing 3-2 at The Reebok. It’s a shame because that disappointing result away at Bolton Wanderers ended a run of four games without defeat for Everton and they will now need to redouble their efforts if they want to go on another point baring run.

  

Fortunately, Everton aren’t on their travels this weekend, with three of their four defeats coming away from Goodison Park thus far. However, they haven’t been blessed with an easy fixture to mend their deflated hearts as Aston Villa, a side who beat Everton at Goodison Park last season, come to tackle David Moyes and his Toffee set up at Goodison this Saturday.

  

Now something that may tickle your ears – Everton currently share the honour of having the worst home defence in the league conceding nine goals in just five games. That’s nearly two-goals-a-game at home shipped which is bizarre as you don’t associate Everton with bad defending. Persistent injuries and the departure of their defensive stalwart, Joleon Jescott, won’t have helped but we also mustn’t forget that they did endure a 6-1 hammering at home on the opening day of the season by Arsenal. With the exception of that game, though, Everton have still been very untidy at the back. Wigan Athletic, Stoke City & now even Wolves have managed to locate the Everton goal at Goodison so against a Villa side with the potential to score a hat-full on their day, it would be risky to stick our neck on the line and say Everton are a good bet as they simply aren’t.

  

David Moyes could only watch on as his players put in two average performances in their two most recent home fixtures with Wolves & Stoke City. Both opponents should have been dispatched, maybe not with ease, but at least dispatched. Everton have now dropped four huge points in as many games and there could be a dark cloud hanging over them as far as playing at Goodison Park goes. Aston Villa are arguably a much better team then Stoke & Wolves combined so Everton would need to pull a rabbit out of the hat if they are to pick up three points based on their current form, especially their home form.

 

 

 

Aston Villa

 

League Position: 7th

Recent Form: WLDWD

  

Villa appear to have themselves back on track after their league defeat at the latter end of last month, losing 2-1 away at Blackburn. They didn’t dwell on the loss and the month of October has been a pleasant one for them, not great, just pleasant. Their overall point accumulation for the month won’t set the world alight but five points from three games considering they had some very tough fixtures with Chelsea, Man City and an away derby encounter with Wolves, is good going we feel. Now they must end the month in style with victory over what was their closest competitor last season. 

 

Villa have been one of several teams to take to this season very well and their early season form is pretty strong. Martin O’Neill has seen his side lose just two games thus far whilst winning five and drawing two, accumulating 17 points. However, they did lose on their last away outing in the league when they paid Blackburn Rovers a visit at Ewood Park. Villa did take the lead in that game through Gaby Agbonlahor, very early on it has to be said, but Villa failed to put Rovers to the sword at Ewood Park and they eventually paid a heavy price when Richard Dunne, a player who has been inspirational at the heart of the Villa defence since his arrival during the summer, handle in the box to hand his namesake, David Dunn, the opportunity to score the winner from the spot and Rovers did claim all three points .

  

That’s our only real flaw with this young and vastly inexperienced Aston Villa team, they do make stupid yet costly mistakes in games which often costs them several points. They have done it on several occasions this season, one resulted in a 2-0 defeat on the opening day of the new camapign while they endured the same misery when a rash mistake cost them any sort of points at Blackburn Rovers. However, Villa displayed a lot of versatility and spirit when they had to come from behind against Chelsea after Brad Friedel had earlier failed to stop a rather tame Drogba effort. However, Villa defied adversity to actually win that game and Martin O’Neill’s side are starting to show their fighting qualities.

  

Winning on the road won’t be a new challenge for Villa as they have already done so on two occasions this season, boasting an away record of 2-1-1 thus far. Their victories have also come over good sides in Liverpool & Birmingham, with the Birmingham game in particular a creditable result as it was a tight contest and Birmingham do boast a strong defensive record at home. This Villa side is starting to come of age but this will be yet another test for them. They did pass this very same examination last season when Ashley Young scored a very late winner in a 3-2 win Goodison Park. Will it be the youngsters who prevail again or will Everton win and change their season right around?

 

 

 

Head-to-Head (Last 10):

 

Everton W: 2 Aston Villa W: 4 Draws: 4

 

 

The Everton fans maybe optimistic of getting back to winning ways back at home sweet home but Goodison Park has been far from a happy hunting ground for them in this fixture. Not only have they won just twice in ten meetings with Villa but they have won only once at Goodison Park in the previous five home encounters. Villa, however, are unbeaten at Goodison in three games, beating Everton 3-2 last season via a late Ashley Young Strike.

 

   

Goals looks to be a good shout in past meetings on Merseyside are anything to go by. The last three competitive encounters at Goodison has seen a minimum of four goals, and with Everton looking mighty vulnerable at the back, more goals appear to be on the cards.

 

 

 

 

Key Player:- Ashley Young

 

The England hopeful stole the plaudits and the show in last seasons epic 3-2 encounter and he will be the man to keep an eye on in this clash. David Moyes will demand that his full-backs get tight to both Young and James Milner but will the Everton defence handle the trickery and frightening pace of the English pair? Considering Everton are leaking goals left, right & centre at present, that looks like a no. On his day, Ashley Young is close to unstoppable and he could be the player who decides who wins this highly anticipated encounter between the sides that finished 5^th and 6^th last season, respectively.

 

 

Match Verdict:- Draw – 3.4 SkyBet

 

This encounter should have finished 2-2 last season were it not for some last minute magic from Ashley Young. However, although Villa have been playing well of late, Everton’s home advantage should at least see them earn a point. The Toffee’s are going through a rough patch at present, especially at the back, so perhaps this is the best time to get on the visitors. Nevertheless, we will play safe with the draw as Everton do tend to come good when called upon from David Moyes.

 

 

 

Match Odds:

 

Everton – 2.50 Bet365

 

Draw – 3.4 SkyBet

 

Aston Villa – 2.95 Expekt

 

 

 

 

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Over 2.5 Goals – 1.85 Expekt

 

 

 Update: The result of Everton vs Aston Villa was 1-1 (goals by Bilyaletdinov for Everton and Carew for Aston Villa)