David Moyes will make his return to the home dugout at Goodison Park 12 years after leaving the club when Everton host Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday.
The former Toffees' manager was appointed as Sean Dyche's replacement over the weekend for a second spell in charge, and his first task will be to end the club's dismal recent run against Villa.
Match preview
© Imago
Last Thursday represented one of the strangest days in Everton's history, and there has been plenty of competition for that in recent years.
With the club sitting just one point above the relegation zone, Dyche was sacked five days after their 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth, but just three hours before their FA Cup tie with Peterborough United, having also taken training that day.
Everton favourites Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman took charge of the team on Thursday night, where the Toffees sealed their place in round four with an unconvincing 2-0 win.
The writing was on the wall for Dyche though, with his team failing to register a shot on target at the Vitality in their last outing, meaning it is no surprise that only Southampton have won fewer games and scored fewer goals than Everton in the Premier League this season (three wins, 15 goals).
Dyche leaves Everton with a record of 26 wins in 84 games, not helped by the fact he won just one of his last 11 in charge - the 4-0 thrashing of Wolves at the start of December.
Only Arsenal had conceded fewer goals than Everton across the last 10 games, but Iliman Ndiaye's scorcher at the Etihad was their only goal from open play in that time, and the fans had turned, growing tired of the negative tactics on display every week.
That means that Moyes returns, 11-and-a-half years after his exit to join Manchester United as Sir Alex Ferguson's replacement, and his first task will be to end Everton's abysmal record against Aston Villa, opponents they have failed to beat since 2016, losing eight of the last 11 in the league.
They may have won at Villa Park in the EFL Cup last season, but they should have taken three points there earlier this season too, throwing away a 2-0 lead to lose back in September.
Villa are in dire straits when it comes to their away form, losing five in a row, conceding at least twice in all of those defeats, but form at Goodison Park should give them plenty of optimism.
© Imago
The visitors are unbeaten in their last five visits, winning on three occasions, and they have not conceded in their last three, providing them with the opportunity to keep four straight clean sheets away to Everton for the first time in this fixture's long history.
Manager Unai Emery will also be looking to avoid making unwanted history though, because another defeat will see them extend their longest losing run on the road since their woeful relegation in 2015-16.
Despite that though, Villa are still in the top-four hunt, sitting just four points off a faltering Chelsea, and two behind an unconvincing Manchester City.
Since the new year, Villa have played twice and won twice, recording 2-1 wins at home to Leicester City and West Ham United, with the latter coming in the FA Cup on Friday.
Emery will know his side must improve from that underwhelming display though, where they had to come from behind to seal a spot in the fourth round, especially with many important games to come this month.
Everton under new management represents a very different challenge to what they may have expected a week ago, before going to Arsenal at the weekend, and then they will see out their Champions League league phase campaign against Monaco and Celtic, with a top-eight place on the line.
Team News
© Imago
Both clubs enter this fixture having had plenty of days to prepare, both securing wins in their respective FA Cup third round ties prior to the weekend, so they should be in good shape.
Baines revealed that he did not pick the team that started against Peterborough, but there were no real surprises, with Dwight McNeil, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Coleman not involved, with the latter sitting next to him in the dugout.
All three could return here though, along with James Garner, who has missed the past couple of months with a back injury, but Tim Iroegbunam is still a week or so away from a comeback.
Armando Broja's injury nightmares continued last midweek, being stretchered off with his knee in a brace shortly after coming off the bench as a substitute, and there is a possibility that could be the last time he is seen in an Everton shirt.
Visitors Villa will be boosted by the return of Jhon Duran from suspension, and given his form prior to that red card at Newcastle United, he could replace Ollie Watkins up front.
Emery has plenty of players with Goodison Park experience in his ranks, but Ross Barkley will not be fit to partner Amadou Onana and Lucas Digne in the matchday squad after he went off with a calf injury in the cup tie with West Ham.
Pau Torres is also absent in defence, and Diego Carlos is doubtful due to a foot injury, while Jaden Philogene is set to leave the club this month to join Ipswich Town, and was not in the squad to face West Ham last week.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Lindstrom, Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin
Aston Villa possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Duran, Rogers
We say: Everton 0-0 Aston Villa
With limited time for Moyes to prepare, familiar habits embedded in under Dyche may set in for Everton here, despite the onus being on them to go out and get a result in front of a home crowd under the lights.
Emery may just be willing to end their losing away run in any way possible in a game that will be tough to prepare for, and even though they have more quality in their ranks, this could be close and cagey.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
