Ollie Watkins on target as Aston Villa wreck Moyes’ Everton homecoming

The second coming of David Moyes confirmed the new Everton manager is no miracle worker. But how they could do with one. Everton drew a blank for the ninth time in 11 Premier League games as Aston Villa, too savvy and assured for a relegation‑threatened opponent, ensured there would be no new managerial bounce at Goodison Park.

Ollie Watkins struck the only goal of a tight contest to give Unai Emery’s side a merited win and condemn Everton to a third league defeat in succession. Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a glorious chance to level in the 93rd minute but blazed over from Jesper Lindstrøm’s inviting cross.

Until or unless Moyes can eke improvement from Calvert-Lewin and the forwards he has inherited, the immediate goal of Premier League survival will remain fraught with difficulty. Villa, from Premier League promotion to Champions League qualification inside six seasons, continue to look in the opposite direction.

Moyes was out on the pitch long before kick-off, just as he was prior to his first game as Everton manager on 16 March 2002. Unlike the 2-1 win against Fulham that day, however, when the then youngest manager in the Premier League surprised the Goodison crowd by taking the warmup, the now oldest manager in the Premier League was content to stand in the centre circle and chat to an old familiar face from the groundstaff.

The 61‑year‑old was so enthused to be back that he started waving to the home crowd before the stadium announcer had finished reading out the teams and moved on to introducing the club’s latest manager. Moyes received a rousing reception when his name was finally announced.

Calvert-Lewin for the injured Armando Broja was the only change from Everton’s last league appearance at Goodison. The formation was the same as under Dyche too, although Moyes’s defence was not so deep. The improvement Everton require to pull away from relegation danger will have to come from within unless the club can conjure additions from the January transfer market.

New Everton manager David Moyes takes the applause from the Goodison crowd before his first match back in charge. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

Villa ignored the external fuss and threatened to wreck Moyes’s homecoming in the early stages. Amadou Onana, whom Everton sold to Villa last summer to improve their position under profitability and sustainability rules, went close from the visitors’ first attack. The Belgium international surged through a gap in midfield and shot from distance. Jordan Pickford committed to his left, the ball struck James Tarkowski and flew to the goalkeeper’s right, but just wide of an exposed goal. Pickford produced an excellent save from the resulting corner, tipping away a Morgan Rogers drive that was curling just inside the far post.

The Everton keeper was soon sold short by a poor backpass from Ashley Young straight to Watkins. The Villa striker had a clear sight of Pickford’s bottom corner as he raced through, with the keeper caught out of position, but placed his shot wide of the far post.

Boubacar Kamara also tested Pickford with a low drive and Jacob Ramsey squandered a glorious chance in first-half stoppage time, sending a free shot wide from 12 yards and Emery apoplectic on the sideline.

Moyes was getting a crash-course in Everton’s vulnerabilities. He had every reason to doubt Dyche’s assertion that he left “the team in good shape”. Dyche made the comment in a graceful statement via the League Managers’ Association on Wednesday, stressing his pride at leading Everton through an extraordinarily difficult period but also admitting: “The right time has come to leave the club.”

Everton recovered from the early chaos and, pressing Villa tirelessly, created three decent chances to take the lead from open play in the first half. It will not surprise Dyche that none was taken. Calvert-Lewin, instructed by Moyes to “get his goalscoring boots on” having scored only twice all season, controlled a good ball from Vitalii Mykolenko behind Ezri Konsa and fired wide of Emiliano Martínez’s far post.

Abdoulaye Doucouré steered another delivery from the Everton left-back straight at the Villa keeper from 12 yards. Calvert-Lewin did beat Martinez when found in front of goal by Jack Harrison’s delicate chip. The shot, taken off balance, lacked power and Kamara was perfectly placed to clear off the line.

Villa were the more composed side throughout. They also possess quality in the final third that Everton lack. A loose pass just inside the Villa half from Jarrad Branthwaite was all the visitors needed to punish their hosts. Branthwaite won possession then instantly gave it away with a heavy touch to Rogers. The Villa forward broke and rolled a perfectly weighted ball behind Tarkowski into the path of Watkins, who beat Pickford with a convincing finish.

Everton failed to muster a shot on target in the second half until Orel Mangala’s speculative effort in the 92nd minute. Calvert-Lewin should have done much better seconds later but, unmarked and six yards out, he skied over.