Fan Preview: Can Everton turn their luck around against Villa?

After three away games and three subsequent defeats, Everton are back in Premier League action this Saturday for their fourth game in ten days at home to Martin O’Neill’s Aston Villa.

With the luxury of three full days off between games following the 2-0 loss to Spurs at White Hart Lane on Tuesday night David Moyes will be hoping his squad has a healthier look to it come Saturday.  Everton physio Mick Rathbone seems to think there’s some light at the end of the tunnel stating on the official website today “Although we have lots of injuries at the moment all those players who are out are making good progress. I expect the vast majority of the injured lads to be back in the next few weeks. We are hoping to have one or two available for this weekend’s match with Aston Villa at Goodison and we then hope to have some more fit for next weekend’s trip to West Ham.”

The one or two referred to by Mick Rathbone that may be available for the Villa game could be anyone from a trio of Joseph Yobo (concussion), Leon Osman (ankle) or possibly Stephen Pienaar (knee), with Leighton Baines, Dinyar Bilaletdinov out and long term casualties Phil Neville, Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe and James Vaughan still some way from a return to first team action.

There is also a doubt over top scorer Louis Saha after he could only complete the first half of the Spurs game after straining his calf, although Evertonians can be encouraged by the performance from the returning Yakubu, who is beginning to show some of the ability that made him such a favorite with the Everton faithful before rupturing his achilles almost a year ago.

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill has no such worries ahead of the game and he will will be hoping to take advantage of the Blues injury problems as his side currently sit in seventh place after nine games, a win on Saturday would consolidate that position with their nearest rivals having played a game less.

Only Curtis Davies (shoulder) and summer signing Stewart Downing (foot) are definite absentees.  Emile Heskey, Stephen Warnock and Nigel Reo-Coker are all expected to shake off knocks picked up in the midweek win over Sunderland in the Carling Cup and will be in the squad travelling to Merseyside.

Villa have had a strong start to the season well justified by some outstanding performances, noteably the 3-1 victory against Liverpool at Anfield back in August and the excellent win a fortnight ago against Chelsea at Villa Park, their only two losses in the Premier League this season coming against Wigan Athletic at home and Blackburn Rovers away.

Everton and Villa faced each other three times last season, with all three games thrilling, goal strewn contests, the first meeting between the two sides was the memorable league game at Goodison which saw Aston Villa snatch all three points with the last kick of the game to make it 3-2, with a pulsating 3-3 draw played out at Villa Park in the reverse. Everton gained revenge for that game by defeating Villa 3-1 in an absorbing encounter at Goodison Park in the fifth round of the FA cup.

That win last season could prove to be a distant memory this Saturday following the Blues recent poor run of form and severely under-strength squad, however all bad runs must come to an end sooner or later and despite the doom and gloom surrounding Everton Football Club at the moment it is worth noting that injuries aside, Everton are no worse off now than they were at this very stage last season, it could even be said that the blues are in a slightly better position than this time last year due to the fact that they are still in Europe.

This week Injured captain Phil Neville has spoken out in response to the blues recent dip in form, urging his depleted troops to hang in until the blues can call upon the cavalry to help salvage their season.

Last season it was widely acknowledged by Evertonians that it was his fierce tackle on Christiano Ronaldo at Goodison Park that effectively turned the blues’ season around and what followed was a fifth place finish in the Premier League and an FA cup final appearance at Wembley.  While frustrated Everton fans are still waiting for that sort of ‘moment’ to kickstart this season, in the meantime it could well prove to be a case of survival and grinding out results rather than aspirations of breaking the top four and comprehensive victories.

Paddy Power: Everton vs Aston Villa – Everton to come from behind and win – 10/1

By David Carroll – Everton Daily’s match previewer and reporter