BIRMINGHAM: Aston Villa won for the first time this season as they routed Everton 4-0 on Sunday to erase the bitter taste of last weekend’s thrashing at Newcastle.

Tipped to improve on last season’s strong finish, Villa were hammered 5-1 on Tyneside in a shockingly bad start to their Premier League campaign.

But Unai Emery’s side got back on track in the Villa Park sunshine as goals from John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey and Jhon Duran brushed aside woeful Everton.

Everton fell behind in the 18th minute when Bailey sprinted onto Moussa Diaby’s pass and cut the ball back to Scotland midfielder McGinn, who emphatically volleyed home from close-range.

Villa doubled their lead six minutes later from the penalty spot after Everton keeper Jordan Pickford caught Ollie Watkins with his out-stretched arm as he tried to punch clear.

Luiz stepped up to slot the spot-kick past Pickford, who was booked for trying to delay the penalty in an unsuccessful bid to distract the Brazilian.

Villa added insult to injury with a third goal in the 51st minute as dismal defending by Michael Keane allowed Bailey space to plant a powerful drive past Pickford from 12 yards.

Duran scored 47 seconds after coming on to complete the demolition in the 75th minute. Keane was guilty of more sloppy defending, missing his kick to allow Duran to slot home.

SPURS DOWN UNITED, CITY WIN

Late on Saturday, Tottenham showed there is life after Harry Kane with a 2-0 win over Manchester United as Manchester City beat potential title challengers Newcastle 1-0.

Spurs were playing for the first time at home since record goalscorer Kane departed for Bayern Munich.

But in Ange Postecoglou’s first match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the home side showed promising signs of a new era as Pape Sarr’s strike and Lisandro Martinez’s own goal continued United’s sluggish start to the season.

Erik ten Hag’s men escaped with a 1-0 victory at home to Wolves on Monday despite being outplayed. This time United were punished as they faded after a bright start.

Bruno Fernandes should have headed the visitors in front midway through the first half. Spurs ended the opening period in the ascendency as Pedro Porro rattled the crossbar.

And Postecoglou’s men got their reward when Sarr smashed home his first goal for the club on 49 minutes.

A comedy of errors summed up United’s day for the second goal as Ben Davies failed to connect with Ivan Perisic’s cross and Martinez could only turn it beyond the flat-footed Andre Onana.

Meanwhile, it took one moment of magic for City to take all three points against Newcastle, though, when Julian Alvarez fired into the top corner on 31 minutes.

Erling Haaland missed a hat-trick of chances to add to the lead, but City were rarely troubled defensively and made it two wins from two Premier League games.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2023