Match Overview

Aston Villa welcome Everton to Villa Park for a Premier League meeting with points and momentum at stake. Villa have been compact yet purposeful in recent weeks, leaning on structured build-up and timely pressing. Everton arrive with a platform built on defensive organisation and recent clean sheets, aiming to frustrate and counter. Cool, damp conditions are expected, which could keep the tempo measured.

• Fixture: Aston Villa vs Everton
• Competition: Premier League
• Venue: Villa Park
• Date: 18-01-2026
• Kickoff: 16:30 GMT / 16:30 UTC

Predicted Lineups

Aston Villa

• M. Bizot
• M. Cash
• E. Konsa
• L. Digne
• I. Maatsen
• J. McGinn
• M. Rogers
• E. Buendía
• Y. Tielemans
• O. Watkins
• D. Malen

Everton

• J. Pickford
• J. Tarkowski
• J. O’Brien
• M. Keane
• V. Mykolenko
• J. Garner
• J. Grealish
• T. Iroegbunam
• D. McNeil
• T. Barry
• I. Ndiaye

Injury & Suspension Report

Aston Villa

• E. Martínez – Injury
• B. Kamara – Injury
• A. Onana – Injury
• R. Barkley – Knee Injury

Everton

• K. Dewsbury-Hall – Hamstring Injury
• C. Alcaraz – Injury
• S. Coleman – Hamstring Injury
• I. Ndiaye – International duty
• I. Gueye – International duty
• M. Keane – Red Card

Head-to-Head

These clubs share a long, competitive history. Across 191 meetings, Aston Villa have 74 wins, Everton 64, with 53 draws. The last league encounter on 13 September 2025 finished 0-0, and recent matches have averaged just over two goals, pointing to generally tight contests.

Match Analysis & Prediction

Villa’s home rhythm and McGinn’s influence

Aston Villa’s recent run shows balance: they have combined patient build-up with targeted pressing, scoring eight across their last five matches. Even when games open up, they have leaders who shift momentum, exemplified by J. McGinn’s brace in a 3-3 home draw with Nottingham Forest. Sitting third on 43 points from 21 fixtures, their approach has been pragmatic, particularly against stronger opponents where caution is more evident.

Everton’s defensive platform

Everton’s form blends resilience with mixed results: two losses and two draws in the last five, but five goals scored and a foundation built around Jordan Pickford. He has been central to five recent clean sheets, while the team has eight shutouts across 25 fixtures this season. With 29 points from 21 games (8W-5D-8L), their trend against similarly placed teams (2W-1D-1L) suggests competitiveness without consistent dominance.

Tactical dynamics and game state

Expect Villa to control phases through structured possession, rotating midfield lines to create room for O. Watkins and D. Malen to attack space. McGinn, Y. Tielemans and E. Buendía provide progression and final-third entries, with full-backs M. Cash and L. Digne supplying width. Everton will likely lean on a compact block, quick outlets to D. McNeil, and set-piece threat via J. Tarkowski, seeking to keep the game in manageable moments.

Game state will matter. If Villa score first, they can dictate tempo and press situationally. If Everton hold firm early, their confidence in tight, low-margin contests increases, especially with Pickford in form. The last 0-0 between these sides underlines the potential for a cagey pattern.

Prediction: Aston Villa to edge a narrow contest. Aston Villa 1-0 Everton.