STAR FOOTBALL PREVIEW Sun: Aston Villa v Everton

Very few people would have put Aston Villa as title contenders after their start to the season, but they remain the closest Premier League side to Arsenal and Manchester City despite a couple of setbacks, and can get closer with victory against Everton, writes WILLIAM KEDJANYI.

City’s Manchester Derby defeat and Arsenal’s dull 0-0 draw at Nottingham Forest leaves them seven points behind Arsenal, albeit with today’s game in hand – victory would take them to just four points off the summit. Unai Emery’s men have seen their momentum take a slight hit in recent weeks – it would have been impossible to keep an 11 game winning streak going – but defeat and a draw at Arsenal and Crystal Palace are forgivable in the grand scheme of things and a 2-1 win at Tottenham in the FA Cup third round will be given a nice morale lift.

Those two Premier League reverses also came away from Villa Park, where the hosts have won 11 straight games in all competitions, including success against Manchester City and Arsenal, and through the whole of this season the only teams to take a point from Villa Park have been Crystal Palace (with a fresh squad) and Newcastle (on the opening day of the season).

Ollie Watkins’ strong form (has scored six goals in his last eight Premier League appearances, grabbing braces in wins over Brighton and Chelsea) and the outstanding performance of Morgan Rogers (seven goals and three assists in his last 12 starts) provide Unai Emery with two of the most in-form players in the Premier League right now, and present a stern challenge to David Moyes, and they will be popular anytime scorer choices at ? and ? with starsports.bet

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Aston Villa v Everton
Premier League
16:30 Sky Sports Main Event / Sky Sports Premier League / Sky Sports Ultra HDR

LAST FIVE STATS

HEAD-TO-HEAD
SEP 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
JAN 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Everton 0-1 Aston Villa
SEP 2024 PREMIER LEAGUE Aston Villa 3-2 Everton
JAN 2024 PREMIER LEAGUE Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
SEP 2023 CARABAO CUP Aston Villa 1-2 Everton

ASTON VILLA
JAN 2026 FA CUP Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa
JAN 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Crystal Palace 0-0 Aston Villa
JAN 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Aston Villa 3-1 Nottingham Forest
DEC 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Arsenal 4-1 Aston Villa
DEC 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Chelsea 1-2 Aston Villa

EVERTON
JAN 2026 FA CUP Everton 1-1 Sunderland
JAN 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Everton 1-1 Wolves
JAN 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Everton 2-4 Brentford
DEC 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Nottingham Forest 0-2 Everton
DEC 2025 PREMIER LEAGUE Burnley 0-0 Everton

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The Toffees have endured a difficult month or so, with a penalty shootout exit to Sunderland in the FA Cup continuing their winless start to 2026. They have missed Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye terribly whilst they’ve been at AFCON, Michael Keane is suspended, and all of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Carlos Alcaraz (yes, really), and Tim Iroegbunam look set to miss this game.

The return of Jack Grealish ( ? to assist today) to face his old club is a godsend but he has a herculean task even by his standards here with so many absences and for all Everton are having a fair season, the Toffees have lost five of six games against sides starting the week in the top six in the table.

Villa would be fancied to take victory against Everton in normal circumstances but 4/6 about the third-placed side in the league against an injury-hit Blues team is arguably generous, especially at Villa Park, and they are worth backing with starsports.bet.

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PROFIT/LOSS (JAN 2026): +5.06 points

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