Aston Villa

Resurgent Everton will try to move further away from the relegation zone when Aston Villa visit Goodison Park on Saturday.

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Premier League clash between Everton and Aston Villa, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

[Neal Maupay](/people/neal-maupay/) should continue to hold the fort up front while Calvert-Lewin recovers, and Dyche could become the first-ever Everton boss to win each of his first three home league games without conceding. [Emiliano Martinez](/people/emiliano-martinez/) following Saturday's game at Villa Park, where the Lions went ahead twice against the league leaders but felt the full force of the Gunners' affinity for comeback wins. [Robin Olsen](/people/robin-olsen/) and [Jed Steer](/people/jed-steer/) are also occupying beds in the infirmary, so Martinez will be in no danger of losing his spot despite being publicly criticised by his manager, but Villa are said to be open to summer offers for their number one. [Dominic Calvert-Lewin](/people/dominic-calvert-lewin/) back from a thigh issue as he attempts to get to the bottom of the striker's persistent fitness concerns - going so far as to investigate the striker's mattress and sleep patterns - while [Andros Townsend](/people/andros-townsend/), [Nathan Patterson](/people/nathan-patterson/) and [James Garner](/people/james-garner/) are also missing. [Ollie Watkins](/people/ollie-watkins/) and [Philippe Coutinho](/people/philippe-coutinho/) scored either side of responses from [Bukayo Saka](/people/bukayo-saka/) and [Oleksandr Zinchenko](/people/oleksandr-zinchenko/), and in the third minute of second-half injury time, [Jorginho](/people/jorginho/)'s long-range effort cannoned off the bar before comically bouncing in off the head of Martinez, whose time-wasting antics came back to bite him. [Illan Meslier](/people/illan-meslier/) off his line, and his sweetly-struck cross-cum-shot from a tight angle found the back of the net before the dogged Dyche-marshalled defence kept the Whites at bay for the remainder of the match.

Bailey has started eight of the ten Premier League matches which Unai Emery has taken charge of since he replaced Steven Gerrard in the Villa hot seat in ...

[The latest Aston Villa news in one place](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/aston-villa-fc) [Antonio Cordon in profile amid Aston Villa links](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/antonio-cordon-profile-amid-aston-26304492) [Christian Purslow transfer reality, Emi Martinez and Nassef Sawiris’ Aston Villa demand](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-sawiris-martinez-transfers-26305695) [What Emi Martinez is aiming for at Aston Villa with 15 games to go](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-emi-martinez-everton-26302114) [Emi Martinez and the Aston Villa transfer mistake that could drastically backfire](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-emi-martinez-26300631) [Tell us in the comments section...](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/unai-emery-explains-leon-bailey-26316390#comments-wrapper) However, Bailey was dropped from the starting XI which faced league leaders Arsenal at Villa Park last time out, with Emi Buendia preferred in that supporting role alongside Watkins. The winger has produced two goal contributions in that time, and has been given responsibility of leading the line with Ollie Watkins. [Purslow transfer reality, Martinez and Sawiris’ Villa demand](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-sawiris-martinez-transfers-26305695) [Villa ](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/aston-villa-fc)hot seat in November.

Unai Emery has challenged Emi Martinez to use his experience to help Aston Villa and claims the Argentina number one is a 'the best goalkeeper' for the club.

He took over from Frank Lampard at the end of January and has collected six points from a possible nine in his first month in charge. [Villa](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/aston-villa-fc) striker Sutton and Rangers boss [Beale](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/michael-beale) have aimed a string of barbs at each other via the media over the last week. The winger has produced two goal contributions in that time, and has been given responsibility of leading the line with Ollie Watkins. He will lead the line for Villa at Goodison Park, but faces a tough task to continue his purple patch given that Everton haven't conceded in either of their first two home matches under Sean Dyche. However, Bailey was dropped from the starting XI which faced league leaders Arsenal at Villa Park last time out, with Emi Buendia preferred in that supporting role alongside Watkins. The forward can become the only Villa player in history to score in five consecutive Premier League fixtures when they play Everton this weekend. [Christian Purslow](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/christian-purslow) said of the upcoming window: "We’re always looking ahead. [The latest Aston Villa news in one place](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/aston-villa-fc) [What Emi Martinez is aiming for at Aston Villa with 15 games to go](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-emi-martinez-everton-26302114) [Gerrard urged to aim for League One instead of Ligue One after surprise PSG link](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/steven-gerrard-urged-aim-league-26300875) [Emi Martinez and the Aston Villa transfer mistake that could drastically backfire](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/aston-villa-transfer-emi-martinez-26300631) [Tim Sherwood made transfer plea to Liverpool boss over key Aston Villa player](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tim-sherwood-made-transfer-plea-26300007) Marseille midfielder Matteo Guendouzi and Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams will be on Villa's radar heading into the final months of this season, ahead of what promises to be a busy summer. The spat has provided a fascinating subplot to this weekend’s Viaplay Cup final between the Old Firm rivals at Hampden. I expect it to be an extremely busy summer. [Villa](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/aston-villa-fc) boss held fire in the January transfer window after only making two additions to his squad, with [Alex Moreno](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/alex-moreno) and [Jhon Duran](https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/all-about/jhon-duran) joining for a combined £28million.

The Villa boss says the claret-and-blue striker is a “good example” to his teammates and works hard in training. Watkins has been in great form for Villa over ...

“He has ambition, and he is a good example for everybody.” “We practice a lot, offensively and defensively, and of course we have to take a balance. “We are trying with Ollie, to help him, to support him, to improve, to take confidence,” Emery told the Villa media team. The Villa boss says the claret-and-blue striker is a “good example” to his teammates and works hard in training. However, the Villans have a difficult job on their hands against a resurgent and well-drilled Everton side. On Saturday, Watkins can become the only Villa player in history to score in five consecutive Premier League games.

Aston Villa have been told they must break their transfer record to sign a World Cup man, though the move could still be a 'bargain' due to his potential.

Due to the youngster’s huge potential, a transfer at £44m could actually end up being a ‘bargain’. Club chiefs have been told they should have organised a new contract for Williams similar to Enzo Fernandez’s Benfica deal before Villa came calling. Villa are involved in the pursuit of Marcus Thuram. Moreno has made five appearances for Villa so far, with all of them coming in the Premier League. Emery will likely be drawing up initial plans for the summer transfer window. Teenage striker Jhon Duran then followed Moreno to Villa Park.

Unai Emery has dismissed suggestions of a rift with Emi Martinez and claimed he wants to achieve something together with the goalkeeper at Villa.

We have to be ready to play.” We have to remember how we did that. “We were talking about our improvements as a team, our objectives and how we can improve.