Everton 1-2 Aston Villa: El Ghazi winner sends the visitors back to winning ways

Anwar El Ghazi-Aston Villa

Aston Villa picked up a 2-1 win over Everton in the Premier League earlier tonight.

Ollie Watkins handed the visitors their lead on the 13th minute but their advantage was short-lived.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the equaliser six minutes later but Villa managed to secure the winner ten minutes from time through Anwar El Ghazi.

Villa have been in abysmal form over the last few weeks and Dean Smith will be delighted with the side’s return to winning ways.

This was Villa’s second win in seven league matches.

Meanwhile, Everton had an outside chance of  Champions League qualification this season and tonight’s defeat will certainly end their hopes of playing the Premier European competition next season.

El Ghazi’s late resurgence

The Dutch winger has been criticised for his lack of consistency since moving to Aston Villa but he seemed back to his best tonight.

The 25-year-old scored an exceptional winner and he could have added to his tally but he ended up hitting the crossbar with an effort.

El Ghazi has a knack of hitting top form towards the end of the season and he managed to score a vital goal against West Brom last week as well.

Anwar El Ghazi (8) has scored more PL goals than Werner, Neto, Firmino, Richarlison, De Bruyne, Grealish, Mount, Pulisic, Abraham, Bale, Martial and Greenwood. #AVFC

Ross Barkley filling in for Grealish

The on-loan Chelsea midfielder has been in mediocre form over the last few months but he managed to step up and deliver an impressive performance tonight.

In the absence of Jack Grealish, the West Midlands club were reliant on him for creativity and he managed to deliver.

The England midfielder could have easily been on the score sheet but he ended up hitting the crossbar.

Everton’s lack of creativity

The Toffees were without their main creator James Rodriguez tonight and the likes of Calvert-Lewin had to feed off scraps.

The likes of Sigurdsson and Richarlison failed to step up and create chances for the home side and they were duly punished in the end.

Everton and Liverpool, combined home record, since January 1 in the Premier League. P 19 W 2 D 5 L 12 It's a staggering statistic. Everton have now been beaten eight times at Goodison in the Premier League, only Sheffield United and Fulham have lost more.