Match ends, Everton 0, Aston Villa 1.
Duncan Ferguson's second reign as Everton caretaker manager started with a defeat against Aston Villa at Goodison Park.
The Scotsman stepped in following the sacking of Rafael Benitez but the move did not immediately produce the desired response as Emiliano Buendia's header in first-half added time settled a scrappy encounter.
Villa's victory was particularly sweet for former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard as well as ex-Everton defender Lucas Digne, who provided the corner for Buendia's winner.
The goal was followed by disgraceful scenes as celebrating Villa players were struck by objects thrown from the crowd.
Everton will feel their second-half pressure, based on an aerial bombardment, should have brought some reward as Dominic Calvert-Lewin turned Anthony Gordon's cross over from close range and Ben Godfrey's header was scrambled off the line by a combination of Tyrone Mings and keeper Emiliano Martinez.
It leaves Everton with only six points from their last 42, searching for a new manager, and sitting uncomfortably close to the relegation zone of the Premier League.
- Reaction to Everton v Aston Villa, plus the rest of Saturday's Premier League action
- Everton fan arrested after Villa players Digne and Cash hit by bottle
- 'It is not nice the fans reacting like that' - Ferguson on Everton protests
- 'Buendia is a little warrior' - Gerrard after win at Everton
Where now for Everton?
Everton owner Farhad Moshiri and chairman Bill Kenwright were banking on a 'bounce' from the appointment of Ferguson in order to revive a season sliding into danger and which resulted in Benitez's sacking.
It did not work on a flat afternoon at Goodison Park, which ended with fans staying behind on the Gwladys Street End chanting "sack the board" and waving banners of protest.
A plane also flew overhead before kick-off demanding the removal of Kenwright, who was also a target for abusive chants after the final whistle.
This is a genuine crisis for Everton as they not only face a relegation battle but must also make yet another decisive decision on their next manager.
Even the atmosphere inside Goodison Park was not lifted for long by the talismanic Ferguson's presence on the touchline, with Everton failing to produce a shot in the first half.
It was a grim spectacle, outlining exactly why Everton's one win in 14 league games has led to growing unrest among the fan base.
Everton improved after the break and threatened an equaliser but the danger was based largely on a succession of long balls rather than any guile, although Demarai Gray and substitute Anthony Gordon did their best to provide creativity.
However Everton came up short and once more face a pivotal moment, one they cannot afford to get wrong again.
Villa dig deep for victory
This was a Villa victory based more on sweat than quality, but manager Gerrard will be no less delighted for that.
In a tight first half, any danger was produced by Villa and it was fitting that Buendia's angled header from a corner gave them the lead as the Argentine was the game's most dangerous player at that stage.
Villa were presented with a different challenge after the break as Everton turned up the tempo and the pressure, hoping the height provided by Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison, Mina and Godfrey might make a difference.
The visitors lived dangerously at times but it was a backs-to-the-wall effort that yielded three points as their defenders put bodies on the line to secure an important victory.
Buendia's excellence was the perfect response to those who felt he might be forced out by the arrival of Philippe Coutinho, who understandably tired as he adjusts to life back in the Premier League.
Player of the match
BuendíaEmiliano Buendía
Everton
Avg
- Squad number24Player nameGordonAverage rating
5.32
- Squad number1Player namePickfordAverage rating
4.82
- Squad number11Player nameGrayAverage rating
4.79
- Squad number22Player nameGodfreyAverage rating
4.48
- Squad number16Player nameDoucouréAverage rating
4.38
- Squad number13Player nameMinaAverage rating
4.34
- Squad number6Player nameAllanAverage rating
4.33
- Squad number7Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
4.27
- Squad number14Player nameTownsendAverage rating
4.23
- Squad number9Player nameCalvert-LewinAverage rating
4.20
- Squad number62Player nameOnyangoAverage rating
4.15
- Squad number2Player nameKennyAverage rating
4.08
- Squad number4Player nameHolgateAverage rating
4.01
- Squad number21Player nameAndré GomesAverage rating
3.93
Aston Villa
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameBuendíaAverage rating
8.10
- Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating
7.65
- Squad number27Player nameDigneAverage rating
7.65
- Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating
7.65
- Squad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating
7.59
- Squad number1Player nameE MartínezAverage rating
7.57
- Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating
7.52
- Squad number23Player namePhilippe CoutinhoAverage rating
7.50
- Squad number41Player nameJ RamseyAverage rating
7.49
- Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating
7.49
- Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating
7.32
- Squad number33Player nameChukwuemekaAverage rating
6.52
- Squad number20Player nameIngsAverage rating
6.44
- Squad number30Player nameHauseAverage rating
6.33
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Pickford
- 2Kenny
- 13MinaBooked at 58mins
- 4Holgate
- 22GodfreyBooked at 83mins
- 14TownsendSubstituted forGordonat 56'minutes
- 16DoucouréSubstituted forOnyangoat 65'minutes
- 21André GomesBooked at 45minsSubstituted forAllanat 51'minutesBooked at 82mins
- 11Gray
- 7Richarlison
- 9Calvert-LewinBooked at 50mins
Substitutes
- 5Keane
- 6Allan
- 15Begovic
- 23Coleman
- 24Gordon
- 25Gbamin
- 33Rondón
- 61Dobbin
- 62Onyango
Aston Villa
Formation 4-3-3
- 1E MartínezBooked at 68mins
- 2CashBooked at 75mins
- 4Konsa
- 5MingsBooked at 86mins
- 27Digne
- 7McGinn
- 6Douglas Luiz
- 41J Ramsey
- 10BuendíaSubstituted forHauseat 90+1'minutes
- 11WatkinsSubstituted forIngsat 79'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 23CoutinhoSubstituted forChukwuemekaat 74'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Targett
- 8Sanson
- 18Young
- 20Ings
- 25Olsen
- 29Hayden
- 30Hause
- 33Chukwuemeka
- 47Iroegbunam
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 38,203
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home50%
- Away50%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home1
- Away3
- Corners
- Home9
- Away2
- Fouls
- Home14
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Everton 0, Aston Villa 1.
Post update
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Lucas Digne.
Booking
Danny Ings (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Danny Ings (Aston Villa).
Post update
Mason Holgate (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
John McGinn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Post update
Foul by Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton).
Substitution
Substitution, Aston Villa. Kortney Hause replaces Emiliano Buendía.
Post update
Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton).
Post update
Attempt blocked. Richarlison (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Anthony Gordon (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Booking
Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa).
Post update
Richarlison (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Danny Ings (Aston Villa).
Post update
Mason Holgate (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Booking
Ben Godfrey (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Comments
Join the conversation
On the strength of this game, Everton wholeheartedly deserve to go down.
I bet he wished he could rephrase that!
Villa deserved the lead and structured themselves to defend the goal and did it brilliantly.
We worked hard enough but lack quality and confidence. We are in deep trouble and it’s not going to turn overnight.
Gordon should have started as he is a ball player. We need a quality manager and not Ferguson. Dunc is just a stop gap and nothing more.
Bad luck Everton as you showed good fight.
Coutinho still finding his feet and I thought Buendía was Excellent.
They are looking like relegation fodder averaging less than a point a game.
Great job Villa!
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