Everton remain pointless at the start of the new Premier League season after losing 2-1 away to Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime.
A first=half strike from Danny Ings was supplemented by a late Emiliano Buendia tap-in before former Blue Lucas Digne bundled one into his own net to give the travelling Toffees hope of a late equaliser. But it was not to be and the result means that Frank Lampard's side have suffered defeat in both of their first two matches and are yet to register a goal from one of their own players.
The main positive, however, was the second-half cameo of new signing Amadou Onana and it was his bursting run that created Everton's late consolation goal.
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Here's a round-up of what the national media had to say about the result.
Gary Rose - BBC Sport
Lampard clearly targeted his defence as an area for improvement over the summer with former Burnley centre-back James Tarkowski making his debut in last weekend's defeat at Chelsea and on-loan Wolves defender Conor Coady starting in this game. It was an area that certainly needed improving after Everton came close to being relegated last season but this game again highlighted their deficiencies at the other end of the pitch.
They did not manage a shot on target until eight minutes into the second half and it took a slice of fortune to get them back into the game through the own goal. Everton's late pressure was encouraging but it is clear the Toffees need reinforcements in attack if they are to avoid another difficult season.
John Percy - Daily Telegraph
Lampard’s fingernails have only just returned to normal length after last season’s scramble to safety and two successive defeats this season suggest it could be another campaign of struggle.
With an alarming lack of forward options, Everton were toothless here for long periods and it was a fine individual goal from Danny Ings and late strike from substitute Emiliano Buendía which enabled Gerrard to produce a response following the poor display at Bournemouth.
Lampard’s fears over his absence of firepower were enhanced here, and he desperately needs to sign a striker before the transfer window closes. The sale of Richarlison to Tottenham and injury to Dominic Calvert-Lewin has left Lampard with few alternatives, and the gameplan here seemed to revolve around stifling Villa through possession and a low block. In the first half Everton had the cutting edge of a plastic spatula and what Lampard would give for Villa’s vast array of forwards.
Andy Hunter - The Guardian
Victory (for Villa) was merited against a toothless Everton but arrived in fraught circumstances with the recalled Mings and substitute Calum Chambers producing goal-saving, match-winning challenges to deny Everton a stoppage time equaliser.
An Everton comeback would have been a heist given Villa’s performance. Danny Ings and Emiliano Buendía scored two fine goals from Ollie Watkins’s assists and with more composure and better choices in the final third the hosts would have scored more.
Lampard claimed his team deserved a draw on the basis of chances created late on. But they came in a chaotic finale when substitutes Amadou Onana and Salomon Rondon finally gave Everton a physical presence that had been painfully lacking up front. His team remain pointless and, in the absence of much-needed reinforcement in the striking department, progress will be kept in check.
Tom Collomosse - The Mail
Everton had played very cautiously before the break and needed to be more positive afterwards. They also had a little help from referee Michael Oliver, who made two bizarre decisions. When Lucas Digne made a clean tackle on Nathan Patterson near the Villa box, Oliver booked the Frenchman and awarded a free-kick. At the other end Tom Davies, who had replaced the injured Doucoure in the first half, hacked down Watkins inside the 'D'. To Gerrard's fury, Oliver waved play on.
With 10 minutes remaining, Lampard gave a debut to £33million signing Andre Onana and also sent on Dele Alli. But it did not have the impact required as with five minutes remaining, Buendia played in Watkins and continued his run to tap the return pass into an unguarded net. That should have been that, but Onana – who had lost the ball shortly before Villa's second – strolled past Diego Carlos and when Digne and Iwobi tangled at the far post, the ball trickled into the net.
With Everton pushing forward, there were chances for Villa on the break. Another sub, Leon Bailey, set up Watkins but Pickford closed the angle well. Suddenly there was an opportunity a minute. On the left, Gordon outpaced Cash and when Martinez saved the shot, Mings' reached the ball just ahead of Salomon Rondon, who was shaping to equalise.
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