TEAM NEWS
Everton could welcome back as many as five names to the matchday squad after Roberto Martinez gave a positive
injury update at Thursday's press conference.
The manager declared
Sylvain Distin (dead leg) as refreshed and ready to return, while
Ross Barkley (knee),
James McCarthy (quad),
Seamus Coleman (soft tissue) and
Steven Pienaar are all pushing to make their own comebacks.
The visitors, meanwhile, may be without recent England debutant Fabian Delph (shoulder), former Blue
Philippe Senderos (thigh) and striker Gabriel
Agbonlahor (illness).
FORM
After a topsy-turvy start to their Premier League campaign, Aston Villa currently sit in 10th place with 10 points from their first seven games.
Paul Lambert's side picked up seven points from their first three league matches, with wins against Stoke and Hull City coming either side of a goalless draw with Newcastle United.
Agbonlahor notched the only goal in an impressive 1-0 victory at Anfield, a win which moved Villa up to second place.
But after a tough run of games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, the Midlands club slipped to mid-table, with three defeats in which they failed to find the net and conceded eight goals.
LAST MEETING
Everton 2-1 Aston Villa, Saturday 1 February 2014
Goals from
Steven Naismith and
Kevin Mirallas helped Everton come from behind to defeat Aston Villa the last time these two sides met.
The Blues fell behind when Leandro Bacuna put the visitors ahead midway through the first half, but substitute Naismith levelled with 15 minutes remaining, before Mirallas stole victory with a spectacular free-kick five minutes from time.
Earlier in the season,
Leon Osman played a huge role in helping Everton to 2-0 victory at Villa Park.
Osman entered the fray on the hour-mark and the stalwart promptly set up
Romelu Lukaku for the opener before finding the net himself to
confirm the three points for the Blues.
http://www.evertonfc.com/fixtures/2...arclays-premier-league/everton-vs-aston-villa