Paul Merson predicts scoreline of Everton versus Aston Villa
Aston Villa host Everton on Saturday evening and will be hoping to bag their second Premier League victory of the 2021-22 campaign.
They have lost two and drawn one in their opening four fixtures of the new season, but getting a win at the expense of Rafa Benitez’s men will not be easy.
The Toffees are yet to lose this term, with three wins and a draw to their name, and Paul Merson reckons both teams may have to settle for the share of the spoils at Villa Park.
In his Sportskeeda column, he predicted a 2-2 draw, writing: “Everton were not going anywhere against Burnley, but all of a sudden, Andros Townsend scored that unbelievable goal and the game turned on its head.
“I’m still waiting for Aston Villa to fully turn up in the Premier League, which could well be this week. If Villa decide to show up, this could turn out to be quite the game.
“In terms of quality, there’s not much between the two sides, so they will cause each other problems. So far, Everton have hit the ground running and Villa haven’t, but I really can’t split them.”
Tough battle
The Blues have been one of the best teams so far this season, deservedly sitting in fourth place in the table and level on points with the three teams ahead of them.
Based on current form, they are favourites to win the clash, but Villa will be looking to prove themselves in front of their fans after their disappointing start.
Having made some quality additions to their squad over the summer, Dean Smith’s side remain a strong side despite losing Jack Grealish.
Everton spent just £1.7million during the transfer window, but Benitez is slowly turning them into an incredible machine that is hard to beat, and a win at the Midlands outfit would not come as a surprise.
They have come behind twice already this term, securing emphatic victories and putting in some fine performances.
Saturday’s clash will be a tough one, but Villa should count themselves really lucky if they manage to pick up a point against such a well-drilled side.
In other Everton news, Jamie Carragher has explained why Benitez is better for the Toffees than Carlo Ancelotti.
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