OTB Football
ASTON VILLA 0-1 EVERTON: "Going after Europe has to be it for Everton" | THE SUNDAY KICKBACK
18 Jan 2026
Chapter 1: What was the immediate reaction to Everton's win over Aston Villa?
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Well, it finished at Villa Park this afternoon, Aston Villa 0, Everton 1. In the build-up to the game, Vinnie, I was kind of looking at all the players' stats and recent form and that kind of thing. It was actually hard to call a winner, but you kind of felt with their home record of late, how well they've been doing over the last number of weeks.
Aston Villa might just edge this against an Everton side that have been struggling without their AFCON players and also the injured players. but Everton really went out on the front foot from the start of the game and you'd have to say at the end of the match it was deserved three points.
Yeah, I think they deserved it. I mean, you touched on the start of it, like the tip-off goes back to the goalkeeper, Pickford, he launches a bit of confusion in the back four of Villa, which there was in a lot of the game. And a real chance after 30 seconds where Everton hit the post. So that was typified of a lot of what went on through the game.
And at different stages Villa were good, they were decent. Tillemans was the one in midfield that was trying to make things happen for them. Rodgers had an off day, Watkins was non-existent. And I think ultimately this Villa squad have overachieved and they've done brilliant under their manager.
but ultimately the bench, the squad, everything about them was probably short today and Everton seized that moment and were really, really good. I mean, Garner got man of the match, but some of the performance in their midfield was exceptional today. Three young enough boys, 23, 24 and 18-year-old Harrison was exceptional. So they really deserved a win, I have to say.
Yeah, you mentioned Harrison Armstrong, 18 years of age. What was it about the way he was playing today that impressed you?
What really impressed me about Armstrong today was, I suppose, if you look at the last 30 seconds of the game, Villa are chasing, they're playing around the ball at the back.
And the two midfielders, Raul goes and closed down Martinez, it goes out to the right back and all of a sudden Armstrong is the one in the 94th minute where he's brave, he goes after the ball, he wins a tackle, ultimately goes out with a throw in for Villa and that's the last chance of the game.
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Chapter 2: How did Everton's performance reflect their recent struggles?
In terms of picking out passes, he was clever with his little lay-offs. He got and supported Barry at different stages up front. He was really, really good. He looks a hell of a good young player at this stage. I know there's been a lot of talk about Everton for a long time, but I'll tell you what, he really stepped up to the plate today and he looked like he was a cut above everybody.
But I understand why Garner probably got manning the match on the TV game, but the midfield trade, Everton was just better. They bossed it.
from an Irish perspective great to see Seamus Coleman fit again and back on the bench but Jake O'Brien I was just saying to you off Mike I think it might be his best performance in the Premier League since he's arrived at Everton Yeah I think he's had some great moments at the right back position but I think today we've seen like Jake is ultimately a centre half and that's where he's played most of his career and playing in that sort of right hand side of a back three at different stages in his career or right back where they're trying to hit him is fine
But I felt like he needed a couple of run of games just to find his rhythm at centre-half again, even though he's a natural centre-half and he's done that. Got away one maybe early in the first half where he didn't keep the same line as his other three. That's nitpicking because he was exceptional tonight.
Tatovsky got cut out once or twice with Ollie Watkins and he came across and read the play brilliantly. He was really, really good today, threw his body on the line. Unlucky not to score today.
he did score ultimately but VAR ruled it out for an offside and he's really really unlucky there today but really strong performance from him from an Irish point of view one thing we're not stuck of is centre half but remember we've got one in O'Brien who's performing at a really high level at top league top football and we should be very proud of what he's doing in the premiership at the moment
On Everton then, Vinnie, how high can they aspire to this season? Because they're up to 10th now. They're, what do we say, Manchester United are in fifth position. Everton on 32 points, only three points behind Manchester United. So it's really tight, congested there. you look at the teams around them, their first team of a similar quality, it's just the squad depth.
So you kind of feel Moyes would need to get a couple of bodies into the club before the end of the transfer window. But is European football within their grasp?
Oh, it is. I think some of the frustration going into this game, when you listen to a couple of people, big Everton fans, people that live around that area, and their big frustration is they felt they've left a few points behind. I know everyone does that overseas, but when you think they're only...
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Chapter 3: What key moments defined the match between Aston Villa and Everton?
he barely touched the ball today he didn't have too many chances now he was well marshalled by those Everton defenders seven goals in 22 matches though this season he had 16 last season 19 the season before feels like he's not playing at his best but like today was a disaster for him it's funny because I thought in the start of the season he wasn't great and then he hit a bit of form and sort of that form was around if you remember Mallon came in and done quite well at different stages different type of player but he gave Villa something particularly his energy levels and
Then all of a sudden, Manon's left the club, I think he scored for Roma today. That game's not over yet, but then is he a little bit like, my job is done, I've got rid of that centre forward, I know there's another one just at the arriving of the club. He was poor today, non-existent at different stages, didn't give them a platform.
Renan Deer got into that number 10 position, he's playing on the left, but he played really narrow. got the ball a lot of times and never, him and Watkins never had an understanding to pick out pass at any stage. So it's the poorest I've seen Villa. Again, one of my concerns about Villa this season was, when I spoke about them earlier on, is I don't feel they've enough strength and depth.
I think when you look at substitutions you're bringing on a young lad Hemmings at 18 years of age and he just looked like he was just too big of a game didn't have a real change up front and just short of ideas I mean McGinn coming out of that team is a hammer blow for them How much of a blow could that be do you think? I think when you look of of
what they have on the bench, you look at what he does for the team, the energy levels he has, the driving standards. I imagine he's like that every day in training. All of those little things all add up to the big round picture. He's only scored three goals this season, but he's been a catalyst of so much of what they've done.
And again, he plays on the right wing, but he's here, there and everywhere. He's a Duracell bunny for them. That's a huge loss. It looks like...
for me I've seen so many of them injuries in players I've coached and worked with it looked like I don't know I'm not a doctor but it looks like it's a four to six week injury I think it's more than just an impact in May of them it's maybe some medial or something like that so it's not a good sign for them I'd be really concerned about him going forward
Yeah, and I suppose for Celtic cousins, Scotland's sake as well, you'd hope it's not a long-term injury that he'll be back for the World Cup. Just to finish on Villa then, because it was a big opportunity for them today. They could have gone second, could have closed the gap on Arsenal to four points.
We were remarking during the game as well, Villa's fixture list over the next couple of weeks, like they're coming hard and fast. Fenerbahce away in the Europa League, Newcastle at home in the league, that's a home to Salzburg, and then they've got Brentford, Bournemouth, Brighton, and then the Cup against Newcastle. It could be part of the season where it starts to fall away from him.
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Chapter 4: Who were the standout players in the Everton vs. Aston Villa match?
He was awful, but he's potentially a world-class player. That will come. He's sort of earned the right to have the odd bad game. But the performance, Konza wasn't the worst of them, but Boutaris, I mean, it looked like everything said, let him on the ball. A lot of straight passes didn't work.
The goal is... And just back from injury, but he was only out for five games.
He should still be a matcher. Yeah, it wasn't two years, Stephen. It wasn't good enough.
You think of the goal, it's a great example, like Gonza heads it into the back of Barry where he should be heading that away, big strong centre half header, he doesn't, it then comes back to him, he rolls it to Torres who hits him in the shin and then the shot from McNeil is not a good shot, Martinez doesn't hold it, yes it's a brilliant, amazing finish by Barry but defensively,
And they've been solid enough to be fair, but them two centre-halves caused real concern for me. And it also then, what that does is it gives, if you're playing against Villa next week and Torres is playing, you're like, let him on the ball. And then you go and press everybody off his pass. That's the trap teams will look at. So really poor from Villa today.
look they're in a strong position they'll have to just dust themselves down and say it was one of them bad days and got to aim for look in the driving seat to be in Champions League football come the end of the season they've got to put down to a bad day at the office
Yeah, absolutely. Well, entertaining game. All this is all done, but Everton taking all three points. Next week on Off the Ball, on Sunday we'll have Crystal Palace at home to Chelsea.
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Chapter 5: How does Everton's current position impact their aspirations for Europe?
It'll be Phil and Brian bringing you that game and myself and Gary Breen at the Emirates for the big one between Arsenal and Manchester United. Join us then.
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