The team news and injury latest for Everton vs Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Aston Villa return from the international break with a first-ever visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, to take on Everton in the Premier League.
The Villans will be desperate to right their wrongs after losing two and drawing one of their first three league outings, failing to score a single goal in that time. Everton, meanwhile, will be eager to maintain their perfect record at their new ground after 2-0 wins over Brighton & Hove Albion and Mansfield Town in the Premier League and Carabao Cup.
Everton are the narrow favourites for this weekend’s encounter and such an advantage is also reflected in the latest team news. The Toffees have fewer players who are either ruled out or doubtful to play, but only just. Still, it’s one of the most unpredictable games of the weekend as Villa are bound to improve at some stage.
Everton team news
Saturday’s hosts are in good shape everywhere apart from defence, with two members of their back line likely to miss out and another two slight doubts. The most important of the four, central defender Jarrad Branthwaite, hasn’t been available so far this season due to a hamstring problem and this game is expected to come too soon.
Right-back Nathan Patterson has been recovering from a hernia and remains sidelined for a while longer, whereas new signing Adam Aznou has had a problem with his ankle and is a serious doubt. Meanwhile, fellow left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko was described by David Moyes before the international break as, ‘on the way, but not quite fit’.
Ruled out: Branthwaite, Patterson. Doubts: Aznou, Mykolenko.
Aston Villa team news
Villa could be without three regular starters for the visit to Everton, while two fringe players are ruled out. The newest doubts are over Matty Cash’s fitness after the right-back limped off and couldn’t continue Poland’s recent 3-1 win over Finland. It was a great shame as Cash had scored earlier in the game, as well as in the previous outing against the Netherlands.
Fellow right-back Andres Garcia is ruled out this weekend. The Spanish hot prospect suffered a knock in pre-season and he’s had several setbacks since, so it awaits to be seen when he might return. It’s been a similar story for experienced central midfielder Ross Barkley, as he’s severely lacking match fitness and won’t be able to feature against his former club.
Defensive midfield pair Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana are in with an outside shot of being available this weekend, but it’s unlikely they’ll feature. Both players have been receiving treatment for hamstring problems and won’t be rushed back too quickly by Unai Emery.
Kamara is the biggest miss of the bunch as the former France international often plays a pivotal role in the double pivot alongside Youri Tielemans. Without Kamara, Villa don’t have the same balance and Emery’s structure is lost.
Ruled out: Garcia, Barkley. Doubts: Cash, Kamara, Onana.
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