Everton player ratings as Dwight McNeil good but four players get 5 in Aston Villa loss

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 14: Dwight McNeil of Everton celebrates scoring his team's first goal  during the Premier League match between Aston Villa FC and Everton FC at Villa Park on September 14, 2024 in Birmingham, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
-Credit: (Image: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)


While the nature of the defeat was very different, it didn’t feel much less painful for loyal but long-suffering Evertonians as for the second consecutive Premier League fixture, their side surrendered a 2-0 lead to lose. Dwight McNeil stunned Aston Villa on 16 minutes when he robbed former team-mate Amadou Onana of possession and put the visitors ahead with a low strike beyond the reach of Emiliano Martinez.

And the Blues again looked on course for a first three points of the season on 27 minutes when Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed in a McNeil free-kick to double their lead.

However, they surrendered their advantage to a Ollie Watkins brace with the England striker reducing arrears through a 36th minute back-post header and then equalising on 58 minutes as he was quickest to react to a miscued Jack Harrison clearance.

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While both goals were disappointing and preventable from an Everton point of view, there was little anyone in the visitors’ side could do about substitute Jhon Duran’s long-range wonder strike on 76 minutes to complete the dramatic comeback and condemn Sean Dyche’s side to a fourth consecutive loss in the competition.

Jordan Pickford 6

As galling as it was, there’s little you can do about a world-class wonder strike like Jhon Doran’s for Villa’s third and while he made a smart stop with his feet to deny Morgan Rogers as Villa pushed hard early in the second half, he could do nothing about Watkins’ finish for the equaliser and won’t have been happy seeing his same England team-mate climb above Keane to net with a back post header in the first half.

Ashley Young 5

More pain for him back at the Villa, returning to the club where he enjoyed two spells, Everton’s oldest ever outfield player looked to have been targeted in the right-back berth early on as Lucas Digne got at him, but he stood firm and the switch to the left seemed to give him a reprieve.

Vitalii Mykolenko 7

Solid start, keeping close to Villa’s dangermen and getting a crucial block in on a John McGinn shot but given the injury problems he’s suffered from the Merseyside Derby onwards, you wondered when he might hit trouble again and it came here shortly before Everton’s second goal.

James Tarkowski 6

More like his old self with a typically imposing display at the back, throwing his body at everything that came his way but like the rest of the defence, he’s badly missing the presence of his regular partner Jarrad Branthwaite.

Michael Keane 5

Made some crucial interceptions but once again he was at the scene of the crime for both Villa’s goals as he will have been disappointed to have been beaten in the air by Ollie Watkins for the first with the striker meeting Digne’s lofted left wing cross and then the same player got to the ball first ahead of him for the equaliser.

Idrissa Gueye 6

Kept close tabs on his friend, fellow son of Dakar and former team-mate Onana and was in the thick of the action in the engine room but with his old pal gone and Villa pressing hard after the equaliser, Dyche chose to freshen things up with Orel Mangala.

Tim Iroegbunam 6

Likes to get forward but after a bright start, tended to find himself increasingly on the back foot, the Brummie midfielder was booked on his Villa Park return for catching Amadou Onana with a high challenge but eager to show his former club what he can do, was busy throughout in an energetic display.

Jack Harrison 5

Was unfortunate that it was his clearance at full stretch that fell into the path of Watkins for the equaliser, and while he put in a shift down the right flank, tracking back to help Garner after his introduction, it was more perspiration than inspiration from him with few opportunities to put in quality deliveries.

Dwight McNeil 8

Operating in a more central role again, we saw the return of ‘The Paintbrush’ as he robbed former team-mate Amadou Onana of possession before bursting forward and beating Emiliano Martinez with a low drive and then his free-kick from the right picked out Calvert-Lewin to double Everton’s lead, he continued to work openings after the break only for his team-mates to flounder around him.

Iliman Ndiaye 6

A box of tricks but how does a Dyche side keep its discipline with him, especially in tough encounters like this away from home, he was always trying to work an opening or try a trick in tight areas, battling hard without having as much joy as he got against Bournemouth.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin 7

Having got off the mark against Bournemouth last time out, Everton’s number nine returned to the scene of last year’s injury disappointment to head in the visitors’ second goal in emphatic fashion but crucially spurned to golden opportunities in the second half, not having enough conviction to test Martinez one-on-one and put his side 3-1 up and then rattling the crossbar when Villa led 3-2.

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James Garner (on 26 for Mykolenko) 5

More used to playing central midfield, he was brought on at right-back and his lack of experience in the position showed as Digne got free to deliver the cross for Watkins’ goal while the equaliser also came down his flank when Harrison was left exposed.

Jake O’Brien (on 64 for Harrison) 6

On for his Premier League debut to add some increased physical presence at the back but while he battled hard, there aren’t many 6ft 6in full-backs so this was a baptism of fire and he was booked for a tug on Morgan Rogers.

Orel Mangala (on 64 for Gueye) 6

Introduced at the same time as O’Brien to also make his Blues bow in the competition, the deadline day signing wasn’t able to stem the turning tide.

Beto (on 81 for Iroegbunam)

Brought on as a second striker as Everton chased the game.

Jesper Lindstrom (on 81 for Ndiaye)

Looked to bring a touch of class in a frantic finish but the pace of proceedings is considerably quicker than Serie A.