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Three things to watch for in Everton clash v Aston Villa
Everton finally got back to winning ways last weekend when an own goal saw them beat Arsenal at the Emirates for the first time.
The Toffees had gone five Premier League games without a win before facing Mikel Arteta’s side, who also had found themselves in somewhat of a domestic rut, having scraped a draw with Fulham the week prior.
The Blues now face Aston Villa in the first of two clashes with the Midlands outfit set to take place in the next six weeks, with the two clubs yet to play each other this season.
Ahead of Everton’s clash with Villa on Saturday, we at Goodison News have picked out three things that fans should watch out for in this upcoming encounter.
Defensive options
Carlo Ancelotti has experimented with his defensive options throughout the season, with all four of Mason Holgate, Yerry Mina, Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey finding themselves playing alongside a different partner at some point.
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Last week Mina was left on the bench while Keane wasn’t in the match-day squad, leaving Holgate and Godfrey to impress together. We’ll have to wait and see now whether Ancelotti keeps that partnership together or if he continues to make changes.
Finally a starting spot?
If Everton were ever going to give Josh King the chance to start for the club, Aston Villa could be the game in question.
The Blues suffered from a distinct lack of energy in their win over Arsenal, and with Alex Iwobi failing to impress every time he’s called upon, perhaps it could finally be time for Ancelotti to hand King a starting spot.
Physical battles
Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin is likely to face tough opposition against the Villans, with both Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings posing a physical defensive threat.
The Villa duo have been two of the club’s top performers this season, with the Midlands side difficult to break down at times.
Everton have players talented enough to unlock Dean Smith’s backline, but Calvert-Lewin will have to be really up for the clash if he is to overcome Villa’s defensive enforcers.
In other Everton news, Report: Everton demand club-record fee for ‘Phenomenal’ player this summer.
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