Sports Mole previews the Premier League clash between Everton and Aston Villa, who meet at Goodison Park after contrasting fortunes in midweek derbies.

Two teams that enjoyed contrasting derby fortunes in midweek meet at Goodison Park on Saturday as Everton entertain Aston Villa.

The Toffees were thrashed 4-0 by Merseyside and top-four rivals Liverpool on Tuesday while Paul Lambert's men came from two goals down to beat West Bromwich Albion in a seven-goal thriller 24 hours later.

Each side has won 72 of the 197 league matches that they have played against each other, but, surprisingly, Villa have had the better of things since the inception of the Premier League, tasting victory twice as many times as Everton.

The hosts will be without Romelu Lukaku, who has been ruled out for several weeks with an ankle injury, so 6'8" Monaco loanee Lacina Traore could make his English football debut in attack.

Bryan Oviedo will miss the rest of the season after breaking his leg while Arouna Kone and Darron Gibson are other long-term absentees for Roberto Martinez, who is also likely to be without Seamus Coleman and Sylvain Distin, both of whom were unavailable for their miserable trip to Anfield.

Distin, 36, signed a one-year extension with the Toffees this week, while Leighton Baines was another to commit himself to the cause and he will commence his left-wing partnership with Steven Pienaar.

Lambert could name an unchanged starting XI from the one that overturned their early deficit against the Baggies, with Christian Benteke firmly back in goalscoring form having netted three goals in three games.

Leandro Bacuna was employed in a more advanced role on Wednesday when he scored his third of the season, so, if Gabriel Agbonlahor fails a late fitness test on a foot problem, he may continue on the wing, with Matthew Lowton poised to be maintained in the Dutchman's usual right-back berth.

Recent form

Everton: LWDWWD

Villa: WDLLWD

Possible starting lineups

Everton: Howard; Stones, Alcaraz, Jagielka, Baines; Mirallas, Barry, McCarthy, Pienaar; Barkley; Traore

Villa: Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Clark, Bertrand; El Ahmadi, Delph, Westwood; Weimann, Bacuna, Benteke

Sports Mole says: 2-2