Aston Villa 2-1 Everton: Steven Gerrard's side claim first win of season

Danny Ings and Emiliano Buendia scored to get Aston Villa's Premier League campaign up and running with victory over Everton as Steven Gerrard got one over on his old midfield rival Frank Lampard.

The two were facing each other as managers for the first time after years of battles on the pitch in games between Liverpool and Chelsea.

Both had overseen losses in their Premier League openers and it was Gerrard's side who claimed their first win of the season with a dominant display at Villa Park.

The home side looked on it from the start and got the breakthrough midway through the first half when Ollie Watkins, making his first start of the season, found strike partner Ings inside the box and he turned sharply before firing clinically into the back of the net.

Everton, once again playing without a recognised striker, did not manage a shot on target in the first half, although they did see an Anthony Gordon effort ruled out by the video assistant referee for offside.

Substitute Buendia saw a deflected shot cleared off the line as Vila pressed for a second, which duly arrived in the closing stages when Buendia stabbed in following a good move.

Lucas Digne turned a cross into his own net immediately after to give Everton hope, and they staged a late rally as Gordon was twice denied by Martinez, but Villa held firm to take the three points.

Villa bounce back as Mings returns

Villa desperately needed a good start to this season after they finished last term with just two wins from their final 10 games, and that poor form continued with a 2-0 loss at newly promoted Bournemouth in their opening game.

Gerrard caused a stir by replacing Tyrone Mings with John McGinn as the Villa captain and starting Mings on the bench against the Cherries, but the former Liverpool captain will probably have felt somewhat vindicated by his decision during this game.

There were no signs of disharmony as Mings put in an assured performance on his return to the first XI, while it was McGinn's brilliance that led to the opening goal as he won the ball off McNeil before playing a superb pass to Watkins, who then teed up Ings to score.

Villa really should have been out of sight by the time Buendia added a second and the late Everton pressure will have given Gerrard some discomfort - but overall this was a decent Villa display that will provide encouragement for the fans about the season ahead.

Everton defence bolstered but problems remain in attack

Lampard clearly targeted his defence as an area for improvement over the summer with former Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski making his debut in last weekend's defeat at Chelsea and on-loan Wolves defender Conor Coady starting in this game.

It was an area that certainly needed improving after Everton came close to being relegated last season but this game again highlighted their deficiencies at the other end of the pitch.

They did not manage a shot on target until eight minutes into the second half and it took a slice of fortune to get them back into the game through the own goal.

Everton's late pressure was encouraging but it is clear the Toffees need reinforcements in attack if they are to avoid another difficult season.

Player of the match

BuendíaEmiliano Buendía

Aston Villa

Squad number10Player nameBuendía

Squad number9Player nameIngs

Squad number5Player nameMings

Squad number11Player nameWatkins

Squad number7Player nameMcGinn

Squad number1Player nameMartínez

Squad number3Player nameDiego Carlos

Squad number2Player nameCash

Squad number41Player nameJ Ramsey

Squad number44Player nameKamara

Squad number16Player nameChambers

Squad number27Player nameDigne

Squad number31Player nameBailey

Squad number4Player nameKonsa

Squad number23Player namePhilippe Coutinho

Squad number18Player nameYoung

Everton

Squad number3Player namePatterson

Squad number30Player nameCoady

Squad number8Player nameOnana

Squad number17Player nameIwobi

Squad number2Player nameTarkowski

Squad number19Player nameMykolenko

Squad number1Player namePickford

Squad number20Player nameAlli

Squad number10Player nameGordon

Squad number4Player nameHolgate

Squad number26Player nameDavies

Squad number33Player nameRondón

Squad number11Player nameGray

Squad number16Player nameDoucouré

Squad number7Player nameMcNeil

Line-ups

Aston Villa

Formation 4-1-2-1-2

1Martínez

2Cash3Santos Silva5Mings27Digne

44Kamara

7McGinn41J Ramsey

23Coutinho

11Watkins9Ings

Substitutes

Everton

Formation 3-4-3

1Pickford

4Holgate30Coady2Tarkowski

3Patterson16Doucouré17Iwobi19Mykolenko

7McNeil10Gordon11Gray

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Aston Villa 2, Everton 1.

Second Half ends, Aston Villa 2, Everton 1.

John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Foul by Amadou Onana (Everton).

Ashley Young (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card.

Attempt saved. Anthony Gordon (Everton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Attempt blocked. Anthony Gordon (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Alexander Iwobi.

Corner, Everton. Conceded by Calum Chambers.

Attempt blocked. Amadou Onana (Everton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Salomón Rondón with a headed pass.

Substitution, Aston Villa. Calum Chambers replaces Diego Carlos because of an injury.

Substitution, Aston Villa. Ashley Young replaces Jacob Ramsey.

Substitution, Aston Villa. Ezri Konsa replaces Matty Cash because of an injury.

Attempt saved. Salomón Rondón (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.

Attempt saved. Anthony Gordon (Everton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Vitalii Mykolenko.

Attempt missed. Lucas Digne (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Emiliano Buendía following a corner.

Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Jordan Pickford.

Attempt saved. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Leon Bailey.

Attempt blocked. Nathan Patterson (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

Corner, Everton. Conceded by Jacob Ramsey.

Own Goal by Lucas Digne, Aston Villa. Aston Villa 2, Everton 1.

Source Link