The man Jürgen Klopp once termed the king of cup competitions is yet to live up to his reputation in that particular department since revolutionising Aston Villa, with Everton advancing to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup at the expense of Unai Emery’s side courtesy of goals by James Garner and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The Villa substitute Boubacar Kamara pulled a goal back late on but Everton held on through five minutes of nervy second-half stoppage time.
Emery’s track record as a serial cup winner in Europe cannot be disputed but since arriving at Villa last November it has been a different story. At the beginning of this year Villa suffered a sorry FA Cup third-round defeat at home to Stevenage, then of League Two, and last week their return to European group-stage action did not go to plan in Warsaw. His second game in charge was a defeat to Manchester United at the same stage of this competition last season.
The last time these sides met, here in the Premier League last month, Villa wiped the floor with their opponents, winning 4-0. It was not exactly a case of role-reversal but after Youri Tielemans sent a dipping shot on to the roof of Jordan Pickford’s net Everton were superior in all departments and it was Villa who appeared vulnerable. Pau Torres was nervy in possession and Robin Olsen, who deputised for Emiliano Martínez, unconvincing. Olsen’s poor kick led to Everton taking the lead on 15 minutes, with Calvert-Lewin and Arnaut Danjuma playing head tennis before Amadou Onana located Garner with a fine reverse pass. Garner controlled the ball with his right foot, took another touch on his left to compose himself and then wellied the ball in at Olsen’s near post.
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Cue a wall of noise from more than 4,000 Everton fans stationed in the North Stand, usually home to Villa fans. Calvert-Lewin was jeered off on his last visit to Villa Park in August and the defender Michael Keane, who endured a nightmarish afternoon, has not started a league game since. Seven of that lineup also started here but Everton were a different beast under the lights. Jack Harrison was brilliant on debut, harrying Torres at every opportunity and his superb ball freed Calvert-Lewin for a golden chance to double their lead towards the end of the first half. Calvert-Lewin read the sumptuous pass but shot at Olsen and then hit the rebound, albeit from an acute angle, against the side netting.
Moments earlier Olsen prevented an own goal after a slapstick episode in the Villa defence. Ezri Konsa inadvertently bumped into Matty Cash, who fell trying to keep up with Danjuma, and from the Everton forward’s cross John McGinn, who started as an unorthodox left-back, ended up striking the ball at his goalkeeper with Harrison lurking. Villa’s trajectory has been incredible under Emery but they were booed off at the interval. McGinn, the Villa captain, was replaced by Lucas Digne at the break and Ollie Watkins entered in place of Jhon Durán.
Surely Villa could not play much worse? Five minutes into the second half they trailed by two goals. Tielemans sold Konsa short close to halfway, Calvert-Lewin pounced on the ball and burst forward with only Olsen to beat. The Everton striker kept his cool, throwing Olsen off with the eyes before rolling a shot past the Villa goalkeeper, much to the delight of the away fans. Two minutes later Pickford made a smart save to deny Moussa Diaby after Watkins powered forward but until Kamara’s deflected 83rd-minute strike, which ensured a grandstand finish, Everton were relatively comfortable.