‘We owe them’: Michael Ball wants Everton to use PL defeat to Aston Villa as Cup motivation

Former Everton player Michael Ball wants to see the Toffees use last month’s Premier League defeat to Aston Villa as a motivator in tomorrow’s League Cup fixture.

Sean Dyche’s side were second best in every area during the 4-0 defeat last month, though the Blues return to the Midlands with a chance at redemption.

Everton take on Unai Emery’s side in the League Cup tomorrow evening, and Michael Ball states ‘we owe them’ after the humiliation in the league.

Writing in his Liverpool Echo column, Ball says: “We’ve got a cup game coming up against Aston Villa, we owe them.

The defeat is a motivator as a player, the manner of the defeat was highlighted a lot because of the poor performance by us.

They are concentrating on the league and putting in some great performances in the Premier League, that will give them a confidence boost. But they’re also in Europe, maybe they might not take this competition not too seriously.

We’ve only got the league to be concerned about, the players won’t need a rest but they will want payback, if I was one of those players I’d want it.”

Everton must bring fighting spirit shown at Brentford to Aston Villa

Indeed, Villa have won four out of their opening five Premier League fixtures and have the UEFA Conference League to consider, so may not see the League Cup as a priority.

It has been a source of yearly frustration to see Everton put out weakened teams in the early stages of cup competitions, and Sean Dyche must play a strong XI tomorrow.

Not only is it a chance to get one back on the Villains, but it is a shout at silverware, and one that the club has to take seriously.

Everton scraped through the last round courtesy of a late Arnaut Danjuma goal at Doncaster Rovers, and another last minute winner for the Toffees would do nicely tomorrow evening.