Aston Villa's Premier League title hopes dented with Everton defeat
What's the story
Aston Villa's hopes of challenging Arsenal for the Premier League title suffered a major blow with a 1-0 defeat to Everton. Thierno Barry scored the only goal in the second half, ending Villa's impressive 11-match unbeaten streak at home. The result means Arsenal will remain seven points clear at the top of the table after 22 Premier League matches this season. Here's more.
Goal details
Barry's goal capitalizes on Villa's defensive errors
Barry's second-half strike came after a defensive blunder from Pau Torres and a goalkeeping error from Emiliano Martinez. There was some controversy before the goal when James Garner, already booked, appeared to have cynically fouled Morgan Rogers on the edge of the area. However, no foul was given by the referee.
Match highlights
Villa's performance and Everton's disallowed goal
Aston Villa's performance was lackluster, especially in the final third. Evann Guessand hit the crossbar while Morgan Rogers forced a spectacular save from Jordan Pickford. Everton had a goal controversially ruled out in the first half when Harrison Armstrong was deemed to have been interfering from an offside position after Jake O'Brien had headed in.
Injury impact
Villa's injury woes and missed chances
Aston Villa's troubles were compounded by injuries to key players. John McGinn was forced off after just 18 minutes, leaving the team already missing another reliable player in Boubacar Kamara. The absence of former Everton midfielder Amadou Onana due to a hamstring injury also added to their woes.
Match summary
Villa's missed opportunities and Everton's defensive display
Aston Villa missed several chances, including a close miss from Morgan Rogers near the penalty spot and Evann Guessand's one-on-one with Pickford. Guessand did manage to hit the crossbar with a header from a Tielemans cross. Everton, despite being thin on options, put up a solid defensive display that helped them secure victory against Aston Villa.
Information
A look at the points table
From 22 Premier League games, Aston Villa have now suffered their 5th defeat (W14 D4). Notably, Aston Villa are third and remain behind Manchester City on basis of goal difference. Everton's 9th win of the season means they are now 10th with 32 points.
Records
A look at the key records made by Everton
As per Squawka, Everton are the first away side to win at Villa Park since Crystal Palace in August. Meanwhile, it's the first time the Toffees have won a Premier League game against Aston Villa since the Villans were promoted back to the top-flight in 2019 (W1 D4 L9). Everton have now won more points in away games (17) than they have at home this season (15).