Everton 1-2 Aston Villa

Aston Villa registered their first win at Goodison Park since 2008 as they claimed a well-deserved 2-1 victory over Everton.

Anwar El Ghazi curled home an 80^th-minute winner, his eighth Premier League goal of the season and second in as many games, to claim all three points from an enthralling encounter on Merseyside.

It was no more than Villa deserved following a first-half display which saw them twice hit the woodwork through El Ghazi and Ross Barkley while Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made a series of fine saves.

The impressive Ollie Watkins had opened the scoring after just 13 minutes, his 13^th goal of the season, only for Dominic Calvert-Lewin to head the hosts level shortly afterwards.

Victory ends a three-match winless run and is an eighth triumph on the road this season, lifting Villa up to ninth in the table on 48 points, one place and four points behind the Toffees.

Matty Cash returned to Villa’s starting XI having missed last weekend’s 2-2 draw against West Bromwich Albion due to a one-match suspension, as Dean Smith kept faith with an otherwise unchanged XI.

Both teams probed in search of an early opener and it was Villa who got it with the game’s first shot on target.

Watkins closed down Mason Holgate, who retreated towards his own goal, and duly robbed the Everton centre-back of possession before coolly slotting under Pickford.

The Villa frontman was denied by Pickford just minutes later but the hosts were soon level, Calvert-Lewin heading home Lucas Digne’s inswinging corner at the far post.

A wide-open first quarter saw Pickford again deny Watkins before Emi Martinez saved well from Calvert-Lewin at the other end.

From then onwards it was all Villa, Pickford was at it again just before the half-hour mark, thwarting Bertrand Traore before recovering to then tip over the crossbar from the wide man.

The Toffees goalkeeper was called into action yet again just minutes later to once more keep out a diving Watkins, before El Ghazi sent the rebound against the crossbar.

Villa were dominating and Barkley, against his former club, thundered a long-range strike against the base of a post.

Watkins saw a low strike deflected wide in the 43^rd minute as the visitors somehow went into the break held on level terms.

Richarlison dragged an effort wide shortly after the restart before testing Martinez with a low strike.

Watkins continued to provide a lively threat in attack as the game remained a free-flowing encounter, albeit without the openings of the first period.

Both sides continued to commit forward in search of a winner as the clash entered the latter stages, and it was Villa who got it with 10 minutes remaining.

Traore played a ball out wide to El Ghazi, who subsequently curled home from 20 yards into the top corner.

And the Villans held firm to record a 20^th Premier League victory over Everton, more than they’ve managed against any other club, in what was the 205^th meeting of the most played fixture in England’s top flight.