Villa send blues packing

AFTER SUCH a productive summer of transfer business, David Moyes cannot have envisaged such a miserable start to the season.

Only the undoubted backing of his board will have prevented the Everton manager from more vigorous scrutiny by the doom and gloom merchants.

Moyes is undoubtedly now facing one of the most important months in his largely successful reign at Goodison, after one win in six league games and a daunting trip to Metalist Kharkiv in the UEFA Cup to come.

That he has the full support of his directors is without question, but after such a heavy recruitment drive this summer the pressure on him would certainly be more pronounced than for other Premier League managers.

Martin O’Neill has now added Moyes to his growing list of Villa Park scalps after goals from John Carew and Gabriel Agbonlahor set the seal on another dominant home display.

Moyes will be in a rush to forget last week after a desperately disappointing draw against Kharkiv and another lacklustre league performance, with expensive forwards Andy Johnson and Yakubu both devoid of goals.

He said: “I can have no complaints about the result. We were powder-puff in defence and not penetrative enough. Our defending for the goals was terrible. It didn’t work out for Johnson, but we aren’t creating chances for him.

“I am concerned about the fact we can’t keep clean sheets, though we must keep it in perspective because that’s the first time since New Year’s Day we’ve conceded more than one. Will I be making changes? Possibly.”

Carew’s goal drought has almost been as excruciating as that of Johnson. The giant Norwegian has struggled to match his undoubted endeavour with end product, but his first strike of the campaign was gift-wrapped by Everton’s defence.

Both Joseph Yobo and Leighton Baines failed to properly deal with Wilfred Bouma’s cross and Carew pounced to lash a shot under Stefan Wessels. It was his first goal since April, and for O’Neill, who has admirably kept faith, the relief was palpable.

Carew’s afternoon ended prematurely as he limped off in obvious discomfort in the 53rd minute, but Villa secured the victory without him seven minutes later, with the ultimate in Route One. Scott Carson’s mammoth goal kick cleared the visiting defence to find Agbonlahor onside, and he displayed exquisite technique to trap the ball, before steering his shot past Everton keeper, Stefan Wessels, with his second touch.

“We’ve won three in four now and I think we can still get better,” said O’Neill. “We didn’t scale the heights of our performance against Chelsea but it was important to get back to winning ways.”

VILLA (4-4-2): Carson 7; Mellberg 7, Bouma 6, Laursen 7, Knight 6; Reo-Coker 6, Barry 8, Young 6, Agbonlahor 7; Moore 6 (Harewood 81), Carew 7 (Gardner 53 6). Subs not used: Taylor (gk), Davies, Maloney.

EVERTON (4-4-2): Wessels 6; Hibbert 6, Baines 5, Yobo 6, Lescott 7; Neville 6, Jagielka 6, Pienaar 5, Osman 5; Anichebe 4 (Yakubu 70), Johnson 5 (McFadden 70). Subs not used: Ruddy (gk), Valente, Carsley.

Referee: L Probert