Villa vs Everton: The Premier League’s Ancient Brawlers Are Drifting Apart
It is the most played fixture in English football history, but looking at the record books won't explain the chasm opening up between Birmingham and Liverpool. One club has cracked the code; the other is holding on by its fingernails.
Picture the scene: it’s 1888. Queen Victoria is on the throne, the Eiffel Tower is just a pile of girders in Paris, and somewhere in the Midlands, a group of blokes with heavy moustaches are kicking a heavy leather ball around. That was the start. Aston Villa and Everton were there at the birth of the Football League, founding members who carved the path for the global circus we watch today.
Fast forward nearly 140 years. This fixture is the granddaddy of them all—played more times than any other matchup in English top-flight history. But if you sit down to watch them lock horns this weekend, don't let the nostalgia fool you. (And don't expect a polite handshake between old friends).
We are witnessing two historical titans who have realised that history doesn't pay the bills. The divergence is actually painful to watch if you're a Toffee, and intoxicating if you're a Villain.
"History is heavy. It's a glorious burden. Villa used it as a foundation to build a skyscraper; Everton currently feels like they're being crushed underneath it." — James McFadden (paraphrased), speaking on the weight of expectation at Goodison.
The Tale of Two Trajectories
For years, these two were the Spider-Man pointing meme. Big stadiums, huge fanbases, delusions of grandeur, and a trophy cabinet gathering dust since the 80s (or 90s, if you count Everton's FA Cup). They were the "sleeping giants" constantly hitting the snooze button.
Then, Unai Emery walked into Villa Park.
While Everton has spent the last three years playing Russian Roulette with relegation—surviving by the skin of their teeth and the roar of Goodison Park—Villa has arguably become the blueprint for how a legacy club breaks the "Big Six" cartel. It wasn't magic; it was recruitment. While Everton burnt hundreds of millions on players who didn't fit (and are still paying for it with points deductions and financial fair play nightmares), Villa bought smart. They sold Jack Grealish for a king's ransom and reinvested it like Wall Street sharks.
| Metric | Aston Villa (The Model) | Everton (The Warning) |
|---|---|---|
| Managerial Stability | Unai Emery (Total Control) | Sean Dyche (Firefighting Mode) |
| European Status | Champions League Contenders | Absent since 2017 |
| Stadium Future | Expanding Villa Park | Moving to Bramley-Moore (The Lifeline) |
The Identity Crisis
This is where it gets interesting. Everton isn't just fighting for points; they are fighting for their soul before they move to the shiny new docks. Sean Dyche deserves a medal for keeping the ship afloat amidst ownership chaos that would make a soap opera writer blush. He plays pragmatism football because he has to. It’s ugly? Sure. Does it keep the lights on? Just about.
Villa, on the other hand, has shed the "plucky underdog" skin. They strut now. Watch them play—the high line, the aggressive pressing. They play like a team that believes they belong at the table with City and Arsenal. They aren't hoping to nick a result; they expect to dominate.
What rarely gets said
We talk about the money, the owners, and the transfers. But the real difference right now is fear. Everton plays with the fear of what they might lose (their Premier League status, their history). Villa plays with the hunger of what they might gain.
When they meet, it’s not just 22 blokes chasing a ball. It’s a collision between a club that has successfully modernised and one that is desperately trying to survive its own transition. Everton looks at Villa and sees what they should have been five years ago. That envy? It adds a nasty little edge to the tackle, mate. And that’s exactly why we watch.
