Grealish’s loan spell with the Toffees has kick-started his career, with Everton making him their main creative force. How will he fare against Villa?
| Everton vs Aston Villa Betting Markets | Odds |
|---|---|
| Jack Grealish Anytime Goalscorer | 7/2 |
| Jack Grealish First Goalscorer | 10/1 |
| Jack Grealish to Score or Assist | 7/5 |
| Jack Grealish to Assist 1+ Goals | 7/2 |
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Why this Everton system is so well-suited to Grealish’s game
Although Jack Grealish has been very diplomatic in his comments about his time at Manchester City, it’s obvious that Pep Guardiola’s structured system constrained his flair.
Having been the undisputed match-winner at his former club, Aston Villa, Grealish became a cog in the wheel at the Etihad Stadium. Although this led to Premier League and Champions League titles and England recognition, there is a sense that Grealish has played within himself in the last few seasons.
This season-long loan at Everton is just what he needs. Grealish is now the Toffees’ main conduit for creating chances. David Moyes has given him the creative licence to play off the cuff, seize space and draw fouls in dangerous areas for the team.
Grealish failed to match or surpass his 0.3 xA per 90 in the 2020/21 season for Aston Villa throughout his time at City. His assist tallies underperformed his xA in three of the last four campaigns in a City jersey.
In many ways, Grealish was not able to show his full potential in a team that dominates possession and faces low blocks week in, week out. At Everton, who are happy to sit in a mid-block out of possession and prioritise fast transitions, there is much more space for Grealish to exploit when his teammates retrieve the ball.
No player has been fouled more in the Premier League since 2019/20 than Grealish. With set plays one of the most important fine margins in the Premier League these days, Grealish’s ability to attract defenders will surely translate into several goals for David Moyes this season.
Grealish a good bet to shine against Aston Villa
It’s fitting that Grealish’s next Premier League game is against his boyhood club, Aston Villa, where he made his name as a fleet-footed winger.
Having started the 2025/26 campaign in red-hot form, Grealish is one of the eye-catching names in the Everton vs Aston Villa betting markets.
The markets currently believe Grealish has a 41.67% chance of either scoring or assisting against Unai Emery’s men. Given that he’s averaged 1.33 assists per Premier League appearance in Everton colours, this seems like a very low percentage.
He will be motivated to put in a strong performance against Villa and remind the claret-and-blue half of Birmingham of his talents.
So far this season, WhoScored have identified one of Villa’s main weaknesses as their ‘inability to avoid fouling in dangerous areas’. This will be music to the ears of Moyes and Grealish.
As Everton’s primary ball carrier, there is always a chance that Grealish could get into positions where he can shoot from distance. That’s why we are also drawn to the 23.09% chance of him scoring any time and the meagre 11.11% chance of him scoring the game’s first goal.