Aston Villa vs Everton preview, team news, stats, prediction, live on Sky Sports

Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Aston Villa vs Everton in the Premier League on Thursday, live on Sky Sports (kick-off 6pm).

Team news

Aston Villa skipper Jack Grealish is poised to end his three-month injury lay-off. The England international could be on the bench for Thursday's Premier League visit of Everton.

Grealish has been out since February with a shin problem and has missed 12 games - with Villa winning just three times in his absence to see their European hopes disappear.

Villa, who sit 11th, will be without the suspended Ollie Watkins for the first time in the league this season after he was sent off in Sunday's 3-1 defeat to Manchester United.

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Everton will be without James Rodriguez and Yerry Mina.

Playmaker Rodriguez has sat out the last two games due to injury after pulling out of the warm-up prior to the first of those, the 2-1 home loss to Villa on May 1.

Defender Mina came off just after the hour mark in Sunday's 1-0 win at West Ham having felt a muscle problem, but Carlo Ancelotti hopes both will return against Sheffield United on Sunday.

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How to follow

Aston Villa vs Everton will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event from 5pm; kick-off 6pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

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Last time out...

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Jones Knows' prediction

Everton are a tough watch but you can't quibble with their defensive excellence once hitting the front. Carlo Ancelotti's team have won every game away from Goodison Park when scoring the opening goal, therefore they have yet to drop any points from losing positions away from home. That was on full show in the gritty win over West Ham, who had 344 passes in the second half from 67 per cent possession but created next to nothing as the Everton back five, protected by Tom Davies and Allan, saw their job out.

It will be a similar approach at Villa Park. Sit, soak and hit on the break with Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. And why not - only the two Manchester clubs have won more points on the road this season (36). I'm happy to play another low-scoring Everton win. They are a very short price though at 8/5 with Sky Bet. My eyes are drawn to the cards market instead.

Allan was terrier-like in the win at West Ham, making four tackles and picking up a booking for one of two cynical challenges. It's his forte. He's picked up seven yellows this season, including three in his last five. The 16/5 odds for another look generous.

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 0-1

BETTING ANGLE: Allan to be carded (16/5 with Sky Bet)

Opta stats

• Following their 2-1 win against them at the start of the month, Aston Villa are looking to do the league double over Everton for the first time since the 2000-01 campaign.
• Everton have won three of their last five away league games against Aston Villa (L2), as many as they had in their previous 29 visits to Villa Park (D12 L14). They did lose this exact fixture 2-0 last season, however.
• Aston Villa beat Everton 2-1 on May 1st - victory here will be the second shortest gap between one side beating another in Premier League history (12 days), after Arsenal beat Bolton twice in the space of three days in January 2010.
• Aston Villa have won more Premier League games (20) and scored more Premier League goals (73) against Everton than they have vs any other side in the competition.
• Everton have won six of their last 11 Premier League meetings with Aston Villa (D2 L3), as many as they had in their previous 39 against them in the competition (D16 L17).
• This will be the 206th league meeting between Aston Villa and Everton (all in the top-flight), extending it's record as the most played match in English league history.
• Aston Villa are winless in their six midweek Premier League matches this season (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), drawing one and losing the last five. Their last such victory came at home against Arsenal in July 2020.
• Everton have won their last five away midweek Premier League games (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday), last losing at Manchester City on New Year's Day 2020.
• Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti has won just one of his six Premier League games against Aston Villa (D3 L2) - against no side does he have a lower win rate in the competition (17 per cent, min. 5 meetings).
• Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins opened the scoring against Everton in the reverse fixture, while he also netted in both games against Liverpool this season. Only four players have ever scored home and away against both Merseyside clubs in a single Premier League campaign - Les Ferdinand (1995-96), Olivier Giroud (2014-15), Jamie Vardy (2017-18) and Harry Kane (2017-18).

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