Moyes Focused On Elevating Everton Beyond Relegation Struggles This Season

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Everton's recent form has been promising, with three consecutive victories across all competitions. They defeated Brighton 2-0, advanced past Mansfield Town in the EFL Cup, and secured a thrilling 3-2 win against Wolves. This positive momentum follows their initial setback against Leeds United. Jack Grealish has been instrumental in this turnaround, contributing significantly to Everton's success.

David Moyes returned to Everton with ambitions beyond avoiding relegation, as highlighted by James Garner. Garner emphasised Moyes' commitment to elevating Everton back to the Premier League's upper ranks. "He said to us on day one that he's not come here to take over a team that's fighting against relegation," Garner noted. The club bolstered its squad with nine summer signings, including Merlin Rohl from Freiburg.

Aston Villa is eager to change their fortunes after a challenging start to the season. Despite acquiring Harvey Elliott, Jadon Sancho, and Victor Lindelof on deadline day, they have yet to score in the Premier League. Their campaign began with a goalless draw against Newcastle United, followed by defeats to Brentford and Crystal Palace.

Jack Grealish has thrived since joining Everton from Manchester City. He will face his former club Aston Villa, where he started his career before moving for £100 million four years ago. Grealish has assisted two goals in each of his last two league games, becoming the first Everton player to achieve this feat in consecutive matches.

Harvey Elliott may debut for Aston Villa after an impressive run with Liverpool. In his last seven Premier League starts for Liverpool, he contributed seven goals (two goals and five assists). The last Villa player to assist on his league debut was Leon Bailey in August 2021.

Upcoming Clash: Everton vs Aston Villa

Everton faces Aston Villa next, aiming for their first win against them since March 2016. Villa has dominated recent encounters, winning four of their last five visits to Everton while keeping clean sheets in each of those matches. Despite this record, Everton has collected more points than any other Premier League team since May.

Ezri Konsa returns for Villa after missing the Brentford match due to suspension. He recently scored his first goal for England and described it as "a proud moment." Konsa hopes this achievement will boost his confidence ahead of the clash with Everton.

Match Prediction: A Draw

The upcoming match between Everton and Aston Villa is predicted to end in a draw. According to Opta's win probability model, Aston Villa holds a slight edge with a 39.6% chance of victory compared to Everton's 34.5%. A draw stands at 25.9%. Both teams are eager for points as they navigate their respective challenges early in the season.

Aston Villa's current struggle mirrors only one other instance in their history when they failed to score in their first three league matches during the 1997-98 season. Historically, only four teams have gone four or more games without scoring at the start of a Premier League season.

Everton aims for three consecutive home league wins for the first time since May 2024 when they achieved five straight victories at home. Their recent form suggests they are well-positioned to continue this winning streak under Moyes' leadership.