Aston Villa recorded their first win of the 2023-24 Premier League season at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon, putting four unanswered goals past a disappointing Everton.
John McGinn made the breakthrough in the 18th minute before Douglas Luiz doubled Villa's advantage in the 24th minute, and Leon Bailey and Jhon Duran then struck for Unai Emery's side after the break.
It was the perfect response to Villa's 5-1 loss to Newcastle United on the opening weekend of the new season, while Everton have now suffered back-to-back defeats, having lost at home to Fulham last time out.
Villa made a fast start on home soil, with deliveries from Ollie Watkins and McGinn causing issues in the early exchanges, as Everton were forced to defend their penalty box.
There was a stoppage in the 10th minute, with Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin crashing into Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez when both players were challenging for the ball, but following treatment, the duo were able to continue.
Villa were the team pressing, and the hosts made the breakthrough in the 18th minute of the contest when McGinn volleyed into the back of the net from close range following a clever cross from Bailey.
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The home side were then awarded a penalty in the 22nd minute when Jordan Pickford clattered into Watkins, who still almost found the back of the net before the referee's whistle was blown.
Luiz stepped forward and picked out the bottom corner to double Villa's advantage, with Everton facing a mountain to climb in the middle of the first period.
Pickford managed to keep out a strike from Moussa Diaby in the 27th minute, before the latter saw a brilliant volley pushed onto the post by the Everton goalkeeper six minutes later.
Calvert-Lewin never really recovered from his early collision with Martinez, and he was eventually replaced in the 38th minute of the match with some serious swelling around his cheekbone.
Villa had a golden chance to score a third late in the first period when Lucas Digne delivered a brilliant cross into the Everton box, but neither Pau Torres nor Watkins made proper contact.
Everton had the chance to halve the deficit in first-half stoppage time when Arnaut Danjuma found space inside the Villa box, but his effort was saved by Martinez.
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The home side made it 3-0 in the 51st minute of the contest when Bailey smashed the ball through the legs of Pickford following some lacklustre defending from Michael Keane.
Watkins had the chance to make it four in the 56th minute following more excellent work from Diaby, but the striker just placed his effort wide of the post, before Martinez expertly kept out Neal Maupay down the other end.
Villa made it 4-0 in the 75th minute, with Duran notching his first goal for the club when he proved too quick for Keane before brilliantly sliding the ball past the onrushing Pickford.
The away end emptied soon after on a miserable afternoon for Everton, who struggled badly during a difficult clash at Villa Park.
Villa will now switch their attention to the Europa Conference League, with Emery's side set to travel to Hibernian for the first leg of their playoff round contest on Wednesday, before returning to league action away to Burnley next Sunday.
Everton, meanwhile, will be looking for their first points of the season when they welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers to Goodison Park next Saturday.
Matt Law
