Aston Villa 3-0 Everton

Matty Cash’s first goal in claret and blue was the catalyst for victory as Aston Villa saw off Everton with three goals in nine second half minutes.

The right-back sprinted the length of the pitch in celebration after breaking the deadlock on 66 minutes with a fierce left-foot strike.

Three minutes later, Lucas Digne headed substitute Leon Bailey’s cross into his own net before the Jamaican scored on his Villa Park debut to the delight of a raucous crowd.

A second win of the league campaign ended Everton’s unbeaten start and moved the Villans up to tenth in the table.

Dean Smith made one change from the spirited display at Chelsea in his side’s last outing, bringing Emiliano Martínez back into the team in goal.

His opposite number, Asmir Begovic, was called into action after just seven minutes, showing lightning-fast reflexes to keep out Tyrone Mings’ front post flick-on before his defenders cleared the danger.

The Villa captain was involved again when a well-worked set-piece routine ended with Danny Ings poking the ball just over the bar.

In a hard fought game, most of the chances continued to fall the home side’s way, with John McGinn and Cash flashing shots wide.

Everton were content to look for opportunities on the counter-attack, but aside from Salomon Rondon failing to connect with a ball across the face of goal, there was little for the visiting Toffees fans to get excited about in the first half.

An edgy start to the second half saw both sides struggling for attacking fluency before Alex Iwobi tested Martínez at his near post on the hour mark.

That prompted Smith to bring on Bailey for his Villa Park debut, with his entrance sparking the crowd into life once again.

And a full house in B6 were on their feet minutes later when Cash, galloping inside from the right, collected a pass from Douglas Luiz and cut onto his left foot before rifling the ball past Begovic.

Buoyed by the opener, the home side quickly doubled their lead when Bailey’s corner nestled in the back of the net after a touch from Digne.

Jacob Ramsey came close to a third but it soon arrived via the left boot of Bailey, who lashed home in front of the Holte End after racing onto Ings’ terrific crossfield pass.

The winger's cameo was cut short when he left the game with an injury late on, but he had already left his mark on the game and helped his side pick up a very valuable win.