Aston Villa face Everton at Villa Park on Friday, and the hosts will be looking to pick up their first points since returning to top-flight action.
Villa were beaten 3-1 by Tottenham Hotspur in their opening match before losing to Bournemouth in the previous round.
The Villains conceded twice within in the first 12 minutes against the Cherries, and despite a stunning second-half strike from Douglas Ruiz, the match finished 2-1.
However, Manager Dean Smith won’t be too disheartened by his side’s start. Villa have shown enough quality to suggest they can compete in the Premier League this time around.
On the other hand, Everton are unbeaten so far having picked up four points from a possible six.
A goalless draw with Crystal Palace was followed by a 1-0 win against Watford last time out, and the Toffees will be keen to extend their unbeaten start on Friday.
The last time these two teams met in the Premier League was in the 2015/16 season, and Villa will be hoping to vastly improve on their recent encounters with Everton.
The Toffees thrashed Villa 4-0 at Goodison Park before claiming a 3-1 victory in the reverse fixture a few months later.
In fact, Villa have only managed to beat Everton once in their last ten meetings – a narrow 3-2 win at the end of the 2014/15 campaign.
Everton are unbeaten in their last six Premier League matches (W3, D3, L0).
The team has registered a 4-0 win against Manchester United and an impressive draw with Tottenham Hotspur in that time.
On the other hand, Villa are without a win in their last 15 top-flight matches (W0, D1, L14).
In team news, defender James Chester is a long-term absentee for Villa while forward Jonathan Kodjia will be hoping to return to action.
The Ivory Coast international limped off in the club’s first match of the season after rolling his ankle but could be in contention for a return to the matchday squad.
As for Everton, Lucas Digne is expected to miss the clash on Friday, with experienced left-back Leighton Baines set to take his place in the starting eleven.
Striker Moise Kean is pushing Dominic Calvert-Lewin to lead the line for Everton, following two substitute appearances for his new club.
It’s likely to be a tight affair as Villa look to get some points on the board and Everton aim to remain undefeated.
Forebet predicts a narrow Everton victory, with both teams finding the back of the net.