FootyChatter.com

EPL Premier League Action Aston Villa were toiling. Everton had seen another effort skewed wide but the home supporters had not lost hope. They were rallying and Unai Emery, watching his side become more introverted and blunt in attack, called in deadline-day signing Victor Lindelof from his warm-up. Donyell Malen was readying himself to come with seven minutes left of normal time, but Emery’s attentions were focused on Lindelof. The former Manchester United centre-back bowed his head, listening intently to Emery’s instructions. Advertisement The fourth official raised his board. Malen was on for Ollie Watkins, who had managed just 16 touches — the fewest of any starting player on either side — while Lindelof was replacing Lamare Bogarde. The defender came on in central midfield, partnering John Mc Ginn, who had started the afternoon on the right wing before dropping back following a calf injury to Youri Tielemans. This was Villa in September 2025, putting in another performance that reflected their wider problems as injuries continue to plague the midfield. Emery’s decision to deploy Lindelof further forward — the first time the 31-year-old had moonlighted as a midfielder since a 10-minute cameo in the Carabao Cup semi-finals in 2023 — underlined Villa’s current defensive mentality. They were attempting to shut up shop and leave Merseyside with a point. Truthfully, a lot of people connected to Villa would have taken the result before kick-off. Before the trip, the mood internally was flat. Lindelof had not properly played in midfield since his days in Benfica’s B side, but his experience helped guide Villa to the end, securing a goalless draw and avoiding three straight defeats. The result perhaps should not have been surprising — no two teams have enjoyed, or rather endured, more 0-0 draws in Premier League history. The Sweden international was tasked with tracking Kiernan-Dewsbury Hall and covering any space the back four had left. If this were a boxing contest, Villa would have been the ones tucking up in the 12th round, as opposed to exchanging blows with Everton. Knowing how fragile confidence is, players and coaching staff were fearful of losing once more. “We have to improve offensively as we are not scoring goals but with this point, I am happy, ” Emery told the BBC. “We are building the team and getting confidence and getting emotions together. This point is necessary to keep going. ” Advertisement Tielemans limped gingerly out of the stadium after the goalless draw, clearly impeded by the calf injury. He is likely to join fellow midfielders Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana, who are recovering from hamstring injuries, on the sidelines. Although Emery did have a few other midfield options, Lindelof’s substitution was an act of preservation. Jadon Sancho was on the bench and if Villa were inclined to push for three points, another summer signing, attacking midfielder Harvey Elliott, could have moved into a deeper position, similar to Mc Ginn. “We’ve got a very tough and difficult period coming up, with two more away games, including the cup, ” Elliott told The Athletic after the game. “It’s going to be a busy time for us. “We just need to keep fighting and give fans what they deserve, which is three points. We need to fight as much as we can for them and I’m sure results can start coming our way soon. ” Emery is clearly mindful of Villa’s present troubles and what had gone before Lindelof’s introduction in the 83rd minute. Last season’s Champions League quarter-finalists recorded an overall x G lower than Michael Keane (0. 31 vs 0. 55), highlighting how the Everton defender alone had better goalscoring chances than the entire Villa side combined. Beto, however, typified the general afternoon of frustration, fluffing an unmarked first-time shot early on before struggling to apply clean contact later on. On his own, the Everton striker registered an x G of 1. 08. Keane, meanwhile, won three headers in Villa’s box and miscued two. The one on target led to a wonderful Emiliano Martinez’s save, seemingly prompting the fire to return in the Argentina international’s eyes. Martinez roared in celebration. A clean sheet and an individual display that brought some of the travelling support back on side after the transfer saga that had encompassed him throughout the summer. He was now digging in for the cause, punching long throws away and taking his time from goal kicks in the final throes. Advertisement The 33-year-old’s rehabilitation took a step forward. He blew kisses to a crowd who sang his name and serenaded “the world’s No 1”. This was the start of a repair in a relationship that had been fractured. As for the wider team, a lot more needs to happen for form and belief to undergo something similar.   Lindelof’s substitution was either symbolic of Villa’s need for pragmatism or panic, acknowledging that another defeat would widen schisms and that any hope of an attacking flame had been blown out.   A better version of Villa would have exploited the spaces Everton’s midfield left on transition and, specifically, the room their two attacking midfielders, Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia, were afforded. A better version of Villa would have created a chance in the 87th minute, when Rogers received the ball on the edge of the box but overhit his pass out of play. This was a limping, monochrome version of Villa. Rogers’ misplaced pass spoke of a disconnected attack. Villa registered a single shot on target, drowned out on overall shots (Everton had 20 compared to their seven) and managed only eight touches in the 18-yard box, again dwarfed by Everton’s 46. By the time Lindelof was assigned to manage the game, Villa knew they had to protect rather than attack.   The stalemate meant it was the first time in Villa’s history that they have failed to score in their opening four league fixtures. By extension, having not scored on the final day of last season, this is their longest run without hitting the net since six matches between December 2014 and February 2015. Had Keane or Beto taken their chances, Villa’s outlook would be far murkier. As Emery echoed, the point earned can be the first building block, yet restoring confidence and inspiration will be his greatest challenge. (Top photo: Everton manager David Moyes embraces Victor Lindelof; Michael Regan/Getty Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle Jacob is a football reporter covering Aston Villa for The Athletic. Previously, he followed Southampton FC for The Athletic after spending three years writing about south coast football, working as a sports journalist for Reach PLC. In 2021, he was awarded the Football Writers' Association Student Football Writer of the Year. Follow Jacob on Twitter @J_Tanswell