Moyes’ Everton return marred by defeat to Aston Villa

David Moyes’ return as Everton manager ended in disappointment as the Toffees slumped to a 1-0 home defeat against Aston Villa on Wednesday.

Ollie Watkins’ goal early in the second half secured all three points for Villa, lifting them to seventh in the Premier League table, just three points off the top four. Meanwhile, Everton remains perilously close to the relegation zone, sitting 16th with only a one-point cushion above the bottom three.

Moyes, who enjoyed an 11-year stint at Goodison Park from 2002 to 2013, was brought in to replace Sean Dyche after a poor run of form saw Everton score just one goal and fail to win in their last five matches. Despite his celebrated return, the Scot was handed a sobering reminder of the task ahead as Everton struggled once again.

The former West Ham boss acknowledged the home crowd with a wave before kickoff, but his team failed to deliver the new manager bounce the fans had hoped for. Aston Villa dominated the opening stages, with Morgan Rogers forcing a fine save from Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski making a crucial tackle to thwart Youri Tielemans.

Watkins squandered a golden opportunity to put Villa ahead in the first half, firing wide after capitalizing on Ashley Young’s poor back pass. However, the England international made amends shortly after halftime, calmly slotting past Pickford to net his first non-penalty goal since November.

Everton’s struggles in front of goal were once again evident. With just seven Premier League goals from open play this season—the lowest in the division—the Toffees lacked creativity and a clinical edge.

The defeat leaves Moyes facing a daunting challenge to ensure Everton maintains their 71-year stay in the top flight, particularly as the club prepares to move into their new 53,000-capacity stadium next season.