TEAM NEWSRoberto Martinez hopes to have Mo Besic back in his squad for the weekend clash against West Ham – but admitted the midweek trip to Villa Park comes too early for the Bosnian.
Besic has been recovering from a hamstring strain picked up against Swansea City at the end of January and will continue to watch from the stands on Tuesday.
However, Arouna Kone is back in contention after recovering from illness. The Ivorian missed the FA Cup fifth round tie at Bournemouth but is fully fit once again.
For Aston Villa, Remi Garde has five senior players out of action, with Jack Grealish and Libor Kozak (both foot/ankle), Carlos Sanchez (hamstring), Adama Traore (foot) and Jordan Amavi all ruled out.
However, striker Rudy Gestede made his return from injury in the 2-1 defeat at Stoke City last time out.
FORMSince the turn of the year, Aston Villa have won just three of their 11 games.
One of those was in the FA Cup against League Two side Wycombe Wanderers, a replay at Villa Park after the Chairboys had held them to a 1-1 draw at Adams Park.
Villa’s Cup hopes were dashed in the fifth round though following a comprehensive 4-0 loss to Manchester City.
In the league, wins over fellow bottom half sides Crystal Palace and Norwich City have not been built upon, while heavy defeats to Sunderland and Liverpool – who put six past them this month – have dented their already fragile morale.
Everton, meanwhile, are back in action following a weekend off due to Liverpool’s involvement in the Capital One Cup final, and will be looking to build on the FA Cup win over Bournemouth in their previous outing.
LAST MEETINGEverton 4-0 Aston Villa
21 November 2015
The Toffees will be hoping they can achieve a similar result at Villa Park to the one they achieved in the reverse fixture back in November.
Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku both struck doubles as the home crowd were treated to four unanswered goals.
A fluid Everton move brought the opener on 17 minutes as Gerard Deulofeu’s cross-shot was palmed away by Brad Guzan only into the path of Barkley, and the midfielder rolled the ball into an empty net.
Lukaku’s header made it 2-0 before Barkley smashed home a loose ball to put the hosts out of sight, with Lukaku wrapping it up on the hour.
Ossie Villa
CLASSIC MEETINGAston Villa 1-3 Everton
26 February 2005
Everton were heading into the run-in with eyes firmly on a Champions League place back in the 2004/5 campaign. In the February, they faced a Villa side with European intentions of their own but a Leon Osman brace helped the Blues to three vital points.
The now-veteran midfielder had the Toffees ahead at half time after nodding in Tim Cahill’s cross, only for Nolberto Solano to equalise seconds after the break.
But Everton replied immediately through Cahill, who headed home Marcus Bent’s floated cross, and Osman made the victory safe with a third, firing home following Cahill’s pass.
The Blues, of course, would go on to secure fourth place and a spot in the third round of Champions League qualifying that season.
KEY MENCurrently in his 11th season at the club, Gabby Agbonlahor is Villa through and through, and manager Remi Garde can rely on him to give 100 per cent whenever he is on the pitch.
Injury has robbed him of a lot of playing time this campaign but he could be the man to score the goals to boost Villa’s survival bid.
At the other end, Jores Okore is another who has suffered through injury but has shown enough to suggest he could be a major influence on this Villa side. He started at centre back alongside former Everton man Joleon Lescott in their previous game against Stoke.