Chris Sutton predicts result of Everton showdown v Aston Villa for BBC Sport
Chris Sutton has predicted that Everton will pick up their first Premier League point in four outings when they face Aston Villa on Sunday 14 January.
The BBC Sport pundit believes that the Toffees will be able to build upon their 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace in the FA Cup, suggesting they will once again “get things together” under Sean Dyche, predicting that the clash will end in a 1-1 draw.
Unai Emery’s Villa head to Goodison Park knowing a win will take them level at the top of the Premier League, but Sutton doesn’t believe that this will be a “straightforward” task for the away side.
Writing in his BBC Sport Premier League predictions (11 January) he said: “Aston Villa wiped the floor with Everton at the start of the season and the Toffees are on a bad run in the league with three defeats in a row over Christmas, but I really don’t see this one as a straightforward ‘top beats bottom’.
“Everton, are desperate for a result because those defeats have left them only a point above the relegation zone, and they could even be back in the bottom three by kick-off if Luton beat Burnley on Friday.
“Eventually, though, I think Everton will get things together again under Sean Dyche. It’s just a question of when he gets them in gear, and you don’t want to meet them the day that happens.
“I scored my last professional goal with a textbook header in a 1-0 win for Villa at Goodison Park in 2006, and I am not going to rule out them following the form book by going there and winning again, it’s just I fancy Everton to get something out of this one.”
Back on the horse
The festive period was one to forget at Goodison Park as the Toffees were dragged straight back into the relegation fight at the bottom of the Premier League having worked so hard to bounce back from their 10-point deduction.
As Sutton suggests, by the time Sunday’s clash with Villa rolls around, they could once again find themselves in the bottom three. Dyche’s side need to get back to winning ways quickly otherwise it could be a long second half of the season.
Everton were torn apart by Villa earlier this season and they cannot allow the same to happen again. If they want to avoid the drop to the Championship, they need to turn Goodison Park into a fortress for the second half of the season.
A 1-1 draw as Sutton has predicted would be an excellent start to 2024 in the Premier League and hopefully, the Toffees will be able to start the new year in the league with a good result.
In other Everton news, Alex Crook has shared an update on Arnaut Danjuma’s transfer situation at Goodison Park