Villa vs Everton man of the match: Jota

[Editor’s Note] Every match, Liam - our young writer - selects a ‘man of the match’ - win, lose or draw. Today, Jota gets the nod. Thanks Liam!

A fantastic performance from Aston Villa as goals from Wesley and Anwar El Ghazi helped secure Dean Smith’s side their first victory of their 2019/2020 Premier League campaign whilst the Toffees suffered their first defeat of the season.

After a disappointing display against Bournemouth last week with two early goals from the Cherries proving to be decisive in the outcome of the game, Dean Smith’s side knew that they had to start brightly in order to gain any points against Everton. After being criticised for his performances against Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth, new signing Wesley struck home in the 21st minute with the Brazilian striker placing the ball past Jordan Pickford however after assisting the opening goal and positively contributing to Aston Villa’s attack throughout the game, my Man of the Match for this fixture is Jota.

The Spanish winger proved to be a consistent nuisance for Everton’s defence with his skilful artistry and blasting pace proving to the Villa faithful that Dean Smith’s decision to bring Jota across the city was a fantastic acquisition. His assist for Wesley’s goal perfectly portrayed his composure and skill, especially in a tense environment as well as his agility frustrating the visiting side constantly.

A perfect team performance to kickstart the Dean Smith Premier League era! Bring on Crystal Palace away.