Aston Villa vs Everton: Premier League Pick & Prediction – January 18, 2026

Aston Villa take on Everton at Villa Park on Sunday, January 18th, looking to extend one of the Premier League’s most quietly dominant head-to-head runs. Since returning to the top flight in 2019, Villa have yet to taste defeat against the Toffees, and Unai Emery’s side will be confident of prolonging that sequence in front of their own supporters.

Both clubs come into this fixture on the back of contrasting FA Cup experiences. Villa edged past Tottenham Hotspur in a hard-fought 2-1 win, while Everton exited the competition after a penalty shootout defeat to Sunderland. With the league table still tightly packed at both ends, this encounter carries significance for two teams with very different ambitions.

Head-to-Head History (H2H: Aston Villa vs Everton)

Villa’s recent dominance over Everton is striking. The Lions are unbeaten in all 13 Premier League meetings with the Merseyside outfit since their return to the division, recording nine wins and four draws in that period. Everton have failed to beat Villa in the league since 2016, and Villa Park has become an especially difficult destination for the Toffees.

The most recent meeting between the sides ended in a 0-0 draw on Merseyside earlier this season, a result that also marked Aston Villa’s 25th Premier League clean sheet against Everton – more than they have managed against any other opponent in the competition.

Aston Villa: Current Form and Squad News

Aston Villa’s relentless winning run has cooled slightly, but their position near the top of the table remains secure. After winning eight consecutive league matches between early November and late December, Emery’s side have taken four points from their last three Premier League outings, losing to Arsenal, drawing with Crystal Palace and beating Nottingham Forest at home.

Those results have not derailed Villa’s title credentials, particularly with Arsenal and Manchester City dropping points of their own in recent weeks. Sitting third in the table, six points off the summit, Villa remain firmly in the conversation, especially given their extraordinary home form.

Sunday’s hosts have now won 11 straight matches at Villa Park across all competitions, a run not seen since the early 1970s. Their FA Cup victory over Tottenham further reinforced the sense that this ground has become a fortress, and confidence should be high despite recent injuries.

Boubacar Kamara has been ruled out after suffering a knee injury against Spurs, while Emiliano Martínez remains a doubt with a calf problem. Ross Barkley, Amadou Onana and new signing Alysson also miss out, but Evann Guessand is back from international duty. Ollie Watkins is expected to return to the starting XI following Donyell Malen’s permanent move to Roma.

Everton: Current Form and Squad News

Everton’s winter campaign has been far less convincing. David Moyes’s side have managed just one win in their last seven matches across all competitions, with recent home fixtures against Brentford, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sunderland producing no victories.

Despite that run, the Toffees remain within touching distance of the European places, sitting 12th and only three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United. That position owes much to Everton’s strong recent away form, where they have won three of their last five Premier League matches on the road while keeping four clean sheets.

However, that defensive resilience will be severely tested at Villa Park. Everton have lost five of their six league matches this season against teams starting the round inside the top six, and injuries continue to restrict Moyes’s options.

Jack Grealish returns from suspension and provides a major creative boost. The Manchester City loanee ranks among the league leaders for chances created and fouls drawn, but Michael Keane remains suspended, while several others are sidelined. Jarrad Branthwaite, Seamus Coleman, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tim Iroegbunam and Carlos Alcaraz are all unavailable, while Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye remain away on Africa Cup of Nations duty.

Possible Starting Lineups of Aston Villa and Everton

Aston Villa: Emiliano Martínez – Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Lucas Digne – Lamare Bogarde, Youri Tielemans – Emiliano Buendía, Morgan Rogers, John McGinn – Ollie Watkins. (4-2-3-1)

Everton: Jordan Pickford – Nathan Patterson, Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Vitalii Mykolenko – James Garner, Merlin Rohl – Dwight McNeil, Harrison Armstrong, Jack Grealish – Thierno Barry. (4-2-3-1)

Aston Villa vs Everton Betting Prediction and Odds

Everton are almost guaranteed to create chances when Grealish is on the pitch, but converting those opportunities remains a recurring problem. Aston Villa, meanwhile, have shown an ability to exploit weakened midfields, and despite missing Kamara, the hosts still look better equipped to control the game.

Villa are priced at -154 to win, with Everton offered at +425, while the draw is available at +285 on EveryGame. Given Villa’s home dominance and Everton’s improved but still inconsistent away form, siding against an away win looks the sensible approach.

Prediction: Aston Villa or Draw (1X) and Over 2.5 Goals at +125 (5/10 units). Villa Park has been a high-yield venue this season, and while Everton may contribute, Emery’s men should have enough to extend their unbeaten home run and edge closer to the title race.

Aston Villa vs Everton Best Bet: Aston Villa or Draw (1X) and Over 2.5 Goals +125 at EveryGame for 5/10 Units