Everton 0 Aston Villa 2: Buendia rifles home wonder goal after Watkins opens scoring
EMI BUENDIA produced the brilliant 30 – minute cameo that gave Aston Villa a stunning victory.
The diminutive Argentinian, one of three changes by boss Unai Emery after a run of three successive defeats, emerged from the subs’ bench and brought Sean Dyche’s house crashing down.
The new Everton boss started the day hoping for a third successive home win.
But soon after taking the pitch with half an hour to go Buendia delivered a through – ball for John McGinn that saw the Scotsman go down under Idrissa Gueye’s 63rd minute challenge.
Ollie Watkins stepped up to hammer home the penalty, becoming the first Villa player to score in five successive game since Paul Rideout in 1985.
That opener left the Toffees stunned for three minutes earlier England No 1 Jordan Pickford celebrated his new long – term contract with a quite sensational save from the Villa striker.
He somehow reacted at almost point – blank range, forcing a header that first bounced off the turf onto his post.
Six minutes before what was one of the saves of the season Neal Maupay should have put Everton ahead.
He dived forward to head a ricochet off Ezri Konsa but his effort lacked power and conviction and Tyrone Mings just managed to clear of his line.
Buendia, having sent McGinn onto that darting run that produced Watkins’ strike, then accepted his through – ball.
He sent a clutch of home defender the wrong way before fairly blasting home an 81st minute shot that even Pickford had no chance of stopping.
Dyche, after enjoying the 1 – 0 wins against Arsenal and Leeds United that lifted his new club out of the drop zone now finds himself back in there again – just when it seemed he was about to pull off a Goodison treble.
CASINO SPECIAL – BEST ONLINE CASINOS FOR 2023
Follow how the game unfolded below…