David Moyes begins his second spell as Everton manager with a challenging home fixture against Aston Villa at Goodison Park on Wednesday night. Both teams are looking for consistency in their respective campaigns, with Everton battling relegation concerns and Villa aiming to recover from their fluctuating Premier League form.
Match Details
- Location: Goodison Park, Liverpool, England
- Date: Wednesday, January 15, 2025
- Kick-off Time: 19:30 GMT / 14:30 ET / 11:30 PT
- Referee: Sam Barrott
- VAR: Paul Tierney
Recent Form
Everton
- Everton 2-0 Peterborough (FA Cup)
- Bournemouth 1-0 Everton (Premier League)
- Everton 0-2 Nottingham Forest (Premier League)
- Man City 1-1 Everton (Premier League)
- Everton 0-0 Chelsea (Premier League)
Aston Villa
- Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham (FA Cup)
- Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester (Premier League)
- Aston Villa 2-2 Brighton (Premier League)
- Newcastle 3-0 Aston Villa (Premier League)
- Aston Villa 2-1 Man City (Premier League)
Team News
Everton
- Injuries:
- Dwight McNeil (knee) – Out
- Armando Broja (knee) – Out
- Tim Iroegbunam – Out
- Returns:
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to start.
- James Garner could return from a back injury after three months out.
Aston Villa
- Injuries:
- John McGinn (hamstring) – Out
- Pau Torres (foot) – Out
- Ross Barkley (calf) – Out
- Doubts:
- Diego Carlos (fitness) – Doubtful
- Returns:
- Jhon Duran is available after serving a three-game suspension.
Predicted Lineups
Everton (4-5-1)
Goalkeeper: Pickford
Defenders: Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko
Midfielders: Lindstrom, Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure, Ndiaye
Forward: Calvert-Lewin
Aston Villa (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Martinez
Defenders: Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne
Midfielders: Kamara, Onana, Tielemans
Forwards: Bailey, Watkins, Rogers
Match Prediction
David Moyes’ return to Goodison Park is likely to inspire a spirited performance from Everton, who will look to build on their FA Cup victory. While Aston Villa have struggled away from home this season, they still possess dangerous attacking options in Ollie Watkins and Leon Bailey. However, Villa’s inconsistent road form and injury concerns could leave them vulnerable.
Prediction: Everton 1-0 Aston Villa
