There wasn’t much difference in terms of application than their first two home games under Sean Dyche that had both produced 1-0 victories but fortune didn’t favour Everton on this occasion as a clinical Aston Villa secured a 2-0 win despite the hosts dominating proceedings for the first hour.
The Blues have of course found goals difficult to come by all season and although this wasn’t quite as one-sided as the tense Leeds United contest at Goodison Park seven days earlier, they’d crafted the lion’s share of opportunities before the balance of the game swung with a penalty decision.
Referee Anthony Taylor had already incurred the wrath of the home faithful with a clutch of contentious decisions and when John McGinn went down under a challenge from Idrissa Gueye in the box, the Greater Manchester official had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
