Our prediction for this EFL Cup match:
Aston Villa
Match Time & Date:
27/09/2023
20:45
Prediction: 2-1
Everton
Aston Villa and Everton take on each other at Villa Park in what is expected to be one of the most interesting games of Wednesday’s program in the EFL Cup. The Villans did well to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge at the weekend, with Ollie Watkins scoring the only goal of the match and, no doubt, they are brimming with confidence ahead of the EFL Cup clash. Both Leon Bailey and Jacob Ramsey are pushing for a start, while both Bertrand Traore and Diego Carlos are major doubts. Emiliano Buendia remains on the sidelines with an ACL injury.
The Toffees, on the other hand, quickly bounced back from a 1-0 loss to Arsenal, with the team beating Brentford 3-1 on the road. Their first triumph of the season gave them a confidence boost, but seeing that Aston Villa are a real force to be reckoned with at home, home win should be considered. Both Dele Alli and Seamus Coleman are sidelined with injuries, while Andre Gomes is unlikely to be risked.
Highlighted Player (Abdoulaye Doucouré):
French international midfielder Abdoulaye Doucour is a bundle of raw energy and a player who was voted Watford’s Player of the Season during the 2017/18 campaign. A deep-lying midfielder who takes part in play build-up from behind is a defensive asset who took time to blossom and announce himself at the international stage. He first burst to prominence at Ligue 1 side Rennes in 2012 after a year with the club’s B side and went on to play 75 league matches and score 12 goals.
Watford bought Doucoure in 2016 but sent him on loan to Granada, where he took part in 15 league matches. Determined to prove his worth in the Premier League, the Frenchman of Mali descent wasted no time in grabbing a starting spot under both Marco Silva and Javi Garcia, respectively, upon his return from Spain.
The total of 38 matches played along with 8 goals scored made Doucoure one of the most sought-after assets in the summer of 2018 but the player remained at Vicarage Road despite reported interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
Highlighted Team (Aston Villa):
Aston Villa is one of the three clubs that dropped to the Championship at the end of the 2015/2016 Premier League campaign. The Villans host their rivals at Villa Park, the stadium that was opened in 1897 and its’ capacity is 42,682. However, it has to be noted that the highest attendance recorded at the stadium was 76,588 when Aston Villa faced Derby County in the FA Cup back in 1946.
Aston Villa’s fiercest rivals are Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. Nonetheless, the rivalry between Aston Villa and Wolves and Coventry City is big as well. Aston Villa have won seven First Division (Premier League) trophies, with the team clinching seven FA Cup trophies as well.
The team’s biggest success, though, came in 1982 when they won the European Cup. The Villans defeated Bayern Munich (1-0) in the title game and Peter Withe was named the man of the match.
Brighton
Southampton
Barcelona
Las Palmas 
Crystal Palace
Newcastle 
Borussia Dortmund 
Bayern Munich 
West Ham
Arsenal
Chelsea 
