Predictions: Aston Villa and Everton to draw

Last weekend’s defeat to West Ham aside, this will be a more competitive Aston Villa this season, and Paul Lambert will have them working cohesively before too long. Darren Bent didn’t really look match-fit at Upton Park – understandably so given his lack of football over the last six months – but as and when he regains some sharpness, expect this side to become pretty difficult to beat.

Any time you knock-off at team like Manchester United, it’s really important to follow-up in the next feature and build some momentum. Villa Park on a Saturday at 3pm isn’t Goodison Park under the lights and in-front of the Sky cameras, but it’s equally important. Now that David Moyes’ side have shown us what they’re capable of, they need to work on producing it consistently within these opening weeks of the season. Every outfield player put in a good performance on Monday night, and they worked incredibly hard to break Manchester United down. Now they have to repeat that; Villa’s players will be eager to produce something in-front of their own fans after the listless nonsense they suffered through last season.

Villa, with no new arrivals will likely be unchanged, although Nathan Delfouneso and Chris Herd have returned to first-team training.

Everton’s new signing Kevin Mirallas is available, although David Moyes is unlikely to throw him from start, or to mess with the formula which caused some much trouble for United.

This fixture has draw written all over it. Villa should play with a far higher intensity than they managed at the East End last Saturday, and Everton are entering this game with only four days rest. The home defence is still very much an unknown quantity, so you’d be brave to back the hosts to keep a clean sheet. Nikica Jelavic and Marouane Fellaini were fantastic on Monday, and if they can reproduce that kind of form then you can see trouble for the new combination in the centre of Villa’s defence.

The home win is 19/10, the draw 21/10, and Everton to take the points is priced at 6/4

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