Everton Host Struggling Aston Villa in Premier League Clash

Everton will welcome Aston Villa to the Hill Dickinson Stadium for their Premier League Round 4 encounter on September 13, 2025, with kickoff scheduled for 15:00. The Toffees are looking to continue their impressive early-season form, while Villa desperately need to kickstart their campaign after a disappointing start. This match represents an opportunity for Everton to cement their place in the top half of the table, while Villa will be hoping to secure their first win of the season.

Everton currently occupy fifth place in the Premier League with six points from their opening three matches, having scored five goals and conceded three. The Toffees have made an impressive start to the campaign with two wins from their three league fixtures, positioning themselves among the early-season frontrunners. In stark contrast, Aston Villa find themselves languishing in 19th position with just a single point from their first three games, having failed to score a single goal while conceding four. The Birmingham side's poor start has them firmly in the relegation zone, making this fixture increasingly important as they look to climb the table and kickstart their season.

Everton enter this match in excellent form, having won three consecutive matches across all competitions before the international break. The Toffees secured an impressive away victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolverhampton Wanderers – Everton 2:3) on August 30, with Iliman Ndiaye among the scorers. Prior to that, they defeated Mansfield (Everton – Mansfield 2:0) in the EFL Cup on August 27 and overcame Brighton & Hove Albion (Everton – Brighton & Hove Albion 2:0) on August 24, with Ndiaye also finding the net in that match. Their only defeat in their last five came in their season opener against Leeds United (Leeds United – Everton 1:0) on August 18. Aston Villa, meanwhile, have endured a torrid start to their Premier League campaign, remaining winless after three matches. They suffered a heavy defeat to Crystal Palace (Aston Villa – Crystal Palace 0:3) on August 31, following a narrow loss to Brentford (Brentford – Aston Villa 1:0) on August 23. Their sole point came from a goalless draw with Newcastle United (Aston Villa – Newcastle United 0:0) on August 16. Villa's only win in their last five matches came in a pre-season friendly against Villarreal (Villarreal – Aston Villa 0:2) on August 10.

The recent history between these two sides has been closely contested, with Villa holding a slight edge in their last five meetings. In their most recent encounter on January 15, 2025, Aston Villa secured a 1-0 victory at Goodison Park thanks to a 51st-minute strike from Ollie Watkins. Earlier in the 2024/25 season, Villa emerged victorious in a five-goal thriller at Villa Park, winning 3-2 with Ollie Watkins netting twice and Jhon Duran adding a third, while Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored for Everton. The teams played out a goalless draw at Goodison Park in January 2024. Everton did taste success in their EFL Cup meeting in September 2023, winning 2-1 at Villa Park with goals from James Garner and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, while Villa's most emphatic recent victory came in August 2023 when they thrashed Everton 4-0 at Villa Park.

Iliman Ndiaye has been a revelation for Everton in the early stages of this season, scoring two goals in his first three Premier League appearances. The forward has been clinical in front of goal, converting two of his three shots on target, including crucial strikes against Brighton and Wolves. His goal against Wolves demonstrated his predatory instincts, while his performance against Brighton earned him an impressive rating. Ndiaye has struggled in previous encounters with Aston Villa, failing to score or assist in two meetings last season, but his current form suggests he could be the difference-maker on Saturday. John McGinn has been a consistent presence in Aston Villa's midfield this season, starting all three Premier League matches despite the team's poor results. The Scottish international has created chances with three successful crosses but has been limited to just one shot on target across those games. McGinn has a history of performing against Everton, notably scoring in Villa's 4-0 victory in August 2023. His experience in this fixture will be crucial for Villa as they seek their first goal and win of the season, with his ability to deliver crosses potentially key to unlocking Everton's defense.