Pre-Season Focus: Everton
I have always felt that Aston Villa and Everton were two clubs of similar size and stature in English football. It is no secret that it is the most played game in the English game and up until 2016, they were both one of a few clubs to have never been relegated from the Premier League.
You don’t need me to remind you of our dark days but I am looking from the outside in and seeing many similarities between the Villa side that sleepwalked into the Championship and this current set-up at Everton. Money wasted, owners who don’t seem to care, I could go on. Villa had Paul Lambert who kept us up for a number of years, Everton has Sean Dyche.
Everton survived on the final day of the season last year but it had Evertonians rightfully worried. Once again, they will be grouped with the teams who could struggle unless between now and the close of the transfer window they can bring in some improvements on their current side. Or of course, Dyche pulls out some magic from nowhere.
Stadium: Goodison Park.
Nickname(s): The Blues, The Toffees, The People’s Club, The School of Science.
Founded: 1878.
Manager: Sean Dyche.
Last Season: 17th.
Top Scorer(s): Dwight McNeil (7).
Played for Villa and Everton
Fabian Delph
Bradford-born Fabian Delph came through the Leeds United academy after joining the club from Bradford City in 2001. The midfielder spent 8 years at Elland Road, scoring six goals in forty-four appearances.
In 2009, after links with Everton, Manchester City and Tottenham Fabian agreed to join Aston Villa for an undisclosed fee.
Delph had six decent years at Aston Villa representing the club 112 times, scoring 3 goals. The 2013-14 season was probably his most successful, winning Player, Fan’s and Player’s Player of the Season. The following season he was part of the side that made it to the FA Cup Final but it was the summer of 2015 where things turned sour from an Aston Villa point of view.
Delph had turned down an £8 million move to Manchester City, publicly committing his future to Aston Villa on the official website but days later he made a complete u-turn and joined City.
After four years with City he joined Everton for a fee said to be worth around £10 million. He made 35 appearances during a 3-year spell but injuries caught up with him and he left the club in the summer of 2022. He later retired from football.
Lucas Digne
Lucas Digne came through the Lille academy before having spells with Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona. In 2018, the full-back signed for Everton for a reported £18 million fee. It took a little while but once he replaced veteran Leighton Baines he became popular on Merseyside known for his hard work and his free-kick goals. In his first season at Goodison, he won both player and fans player of the season awards.
In January 2022, Digne fell out with then-manager Rafa Benitez due to his negative tactics and made it clear that he wanted to leave the club. After 113 appearances during a four-year spell, Digne departed Everton and joined Villa for a fee in the region of £25 million.
Digne instantly went into the Villa first team and helped his side to a 2-2 draw with Manchester United just two days after signing. The Frenchman has played 44 games for Villa and despite rumours that he could depart this summer, he looks set to battle Álex Moreno for the left-back position this season.
Head to Head
Aston Villa: 86
Everton: 82
Drawn: 60
Last Meeting: Everton 0-2 Aston Villa (25th February ’23).
2023/24 Fixtures: H – 20th August ’23, A – 13th Janaury ’24.
Confirmed Transfers
IN: Arnaut Danjuma (Loan), Ashley Young (Free).
OUT: Moise Kean (£25 million), Ellis Simms (£6 million), Niels Nkounkou (£1.75 million), Asmir Begovic (Free), Yerry Mina (Free), Tom Davis (Free), Andros Townsend (Free).
Transfer Rumours
IN: Kamaldeen Sulemana from Southampton (£19 million), Chermiti from Sporting (£3 million), Wilfred Gnonto from Leeds (£15 million)
OUT: Demarai Gray to Fulham (£15 million)
Pre-Season
Everton kicked off their pre-season with a 2-1 win over FC Stade Nyonnais in Switzerland on July 14th. A 1-1 draw with local rivals Tranmere Rovers followed before a trip to Wigan where they ran out 1-0 winners.
Staying in the North-East, a trip to Bolton followed which ended 0-0 and then a trip to the Midlands to take on Stoke where they ran out with a 0-1 win on Saturday.
The Toffees will conclude their pre-season this weekend when they welcome Sporting Lisbon to Goodison Park.