VILLA TWO GOOD FOR EVERTON
ASTON VILLA picked up their first Premier League win of the season after goals from Wesley Moraes and Anwar El Ghazi sank Everton. Villa boss Dean Smith admitted: ‘Getting your home results in this league is important and getting your first one is massive.’ It was Everton who created the first real chance after 12 minutes. Gylfi Sigurdsson’s corner found Lucas Digne at the edge of the box and the Frenchman’s first-time strike cannoned off a defender before it broke to Michael Keane, who saw his shot blocked by Tyrone Mings. The offside flag went up eventually. It came as a shock when Villa took the lead in the 21st minute. Jack Grealish played a quick free-kick to Jota as Everton readied themselves and the Spaniard played a through ball to Wesley, who sent his shot low past Jordan Pickford. Wesley and then Frederic Guilbert both blew chances before Grealish curled an effort just past the post on the stroke of half-time. With neither side creating a clear goalscoring opportunity in the first 15 minutes after the break, Toffees boss Marco Silva acted first, bringing on Moise Kean and Alex Iwobi for Bernard and Sigurdsson. Everton would remain camped in Villa territory and Iwobi saw his 70th-minute strike deflected safely into the hands of Tom Heaton. Everton almost made their possession count as, eight minutes from time, Iwobi sent a leftfoot effort off the post. Theo Walcott blew an 89th-minute chance to level when he blazed his volley over the bar. After seeing an earlier drive saved, El Ghazi would not be denied, scoring in stoppage time.