Everton on Sunday, the past, a new player and match facts

I left last week where it was supposed to be left and moved on quickly. I get the feeling most others did too and that's good, it's a sign of football maturity.

And if I'm going to think about last weekend, I'm going to think about it as the result that was always going to happen once this season, so we could also see it as a positive that it has happened so early. I have a feeling our manager isn't someone that likes to see that type of surprise result too often.

And it was a surprise. Newcastle supporters were surprised, Sir Alex Ferguson was surprised and all of us were surprised by the result. And it's logical that if everyone was surprised by it, it's not something that we expect to see again very soon.

So with that forgotten, we turn our attention to Everton on Sunday.

I'm not going to make predictions for this weekend because whenever I do, it seems like the result goes the other way, but what I will say is I don't think we'll see the same result as last weekend. I appreciate there are only two other results we can get from this match, I'm just not going to write that I think we'll win, because there are degrees also.

We might not win, it could be a draw. Everton have some decent players and they are going to want to put things right after their loss last at home last weekend. And just because many see them as a side to get relegated this season, it doesn't mean they are team easily beaten.

Personally, I see them replacing the manager around October and I see them staying up. Anyone that tells you that Everton remind them of Aston Villa the season we were relegated is saying it for effect.

New player

The loan deal for Nicolò Zaniolo was also confirmed yesterday. And like most of you, the first place I went to when hearing about the interest in this player was Wikipedia. So I know as much as you do. I like that he's young and looking for a home and I also like that his English is good. 

It's going to be interesting to see what happens but I must say I'll be quite disappointed if Cameron Archer leaves now and doesn't get a chance. In Cameron Archer, I believe we already have a better version of Nicolò Zaniolo.

Match facts from the BBC

Head-to-head

• This is the most played fixture in English league history - of the 210 top-flight matches between these clubs, Aston Villa have won 79, Everton 76 and there have been 55 draws.
• Villa are unbeaten in eight Premier League meetings with the Toffees since their Premier League return to in 2019, winning each of the past four in a row.
• Steven Gerrard's Villa defeated Frank Lampard's Everton 2-1 in this exact fixture last season.

Aston Villa

• Aston Villa's 5-1 loss to Newcastle was their heaviest opening-game defeat since a 4-0 reverse to Manchester United in 1985.
• Villa have won their first home league fixture in each of the past three seasons, including a 2-1 victory over Everton last term.
• Unai Emery's side won their final seven Premier League home games last season - their only longer winning run in the league at Villa Park was when they recorded nine top-flight victories on the spin between September 1989 and February 1990.
• Moussa Diaby could become the second Frenchman to score in each of his first two Premier League appearances, emulating Anthony Martial for Manchester United in 2015.
• Lucas Digne is set to play in the 300th league game of his career, a total which includes 113 top-flight appearances for Everton.

Everton

• Everton could lose their opening two Premier League games for the second successive season.
• The Toffees won two of their 19 away league fixtures last season, drawing nine and losing eight.
• Sean Dyche was unbeaten in three Premier League visits to Villa Park while in charge of Burnley, winning once and drawing twice.
• Jordan Pickford is set to make his 250th Premier League appearance.
• Ashley Young returns to his former club Aston Villa, where he made 210 top-flight appearances across two spells, scoring 31 goals.
• Neal Maupay has failed to find the net in his past 28 games in all competitions.