Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley have scored twice each as Everton thrashed Premier League bottom side Aston Villa 4-0 at Goodison Park.
After an impeccably-observed rendition of 'La Marseillaise' it was the home side who took control in the opening stages, with Villa sitting back and allowing the Toffees to dominate the early possession.
Although some promising early ventures forward broke down in the final third, Everton were always the more likely to find the breakthrough, and it arrived after 17 minutes when a fine passing move ended with Brad Guzan only parrying Gerard Deulofeu's low effort and Barkley was on hand to turn home the rebound.
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Villa began to string some passes together after falling behind but Everton remained the dominant force, and only a fine reaction save from Guzan prevented Arouna Kone's clipped effort from doubling the lead after Deulofeu had beaten Ciaran Clark with ease.
It was 2-0 just minutes later, however, when Seamus Coleman got forward down the right to whip a cross in for Lukaku to head home across Guzan and put the home side firmly in control, and with Villa chasing shadows in the midfield it was 3-0 minutes before the whistle when Barkley turned home his second after the Villa defence failed to clear.
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An abject Villa were gifted their first opening of the match shortly after half time when Ramiro Funes Mori's pass back to Tim Howard was too short, but the goalkeeper raced out of his goal to smother Jordan Veretout's effort.
Kieran Richardson then tested Howard with a swerving drive, but any faint hopes of any kind of Villa revival were dashed just before the hour mark when Lukaku tucked home his ninth league goal of the season from Barkley's first-time pass to make it 4-0.
Howard twice saved from Jordan Ayew as Villa tried to fashion something positive, but Everton could have extended their lead even further when Kevin Mirallas inadvertently blocked Brendan Galloway's volleyed effort.
Everton had further chances to score a fifth through Kevin Mirallas, but they ultimately had to settle for four as Villa lost for the 10th time in 13 league matches.
Tom Nightingale
