LIVERPOOL // If new managers are supposed to enjoy a honeymoon period, Remi Garde’s lasted 90 minutes. It brought a creditable draw against Manchester City two weeks ago, but this represented an unwanted reality check for Aston Villa’s sixth manager in five years. His side were swept aside, beaten before half-time as they bore the look of a team destined for the drop.
A chant of “you’re going down” echoed around Goodison Park after Romelu Lukaku scored his second goal. Ross Barkley had already registered a brace and Gerard Deulofeu arguably upstaged either as Everton were exciting, inventive and accomplished. Yet they were aided by Villa’s haplessness. This was their sixth successive away defeat and, at 4-0, their heaviest loss of a wretched season. They were found wanting in every respect.
“The Premier League is very physically demanding and in the first 45 minutes we couldn’t answer,” Garde said. “When you can’t, you are in trouble.”
If the Frenchman felt he had alighted on a promising formula against City, he requires a rethink. Villa’s spinelessness was summed up when Everton passed the ball through the heart of their defence for the fourth goal. John Stones began a wonderful move and each of the catalytic trio of Deulofeu, Barkley and Lukaku was involved, but the visitors offered precious little resistance.
Villa’s feebleness was compounded by Evertonian excellence.
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“Ten goals from open play in two games at home is quite remarkable,” said Martinez, whose side had destroyed Sunderland 6-2. “It is a group of players with an incredible chemistry.”
And Deulofeu represented a catalyst. Barcelona have a clause enabling them to buy the Spaniard back for £6.3 million next summer and, if it is still hard to see him disrupting the “MSN” forward line of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, Everton must nonetheless hope the European champions do not activate it.
“The problem is when you have players that nobody wants,” smiled Martinez.
His attract admiring glances. Everton created four chances in the first 30 minutes, converting two of them; each came via their right wing as the electric, elusive Deulofeu troubled Villa’s stand-in left-back Kieran Richardson.
Barkley became the first player to score against Garde’s Villa, guiding a shot in after Brad Guzan pushed Deulofeu’s effort into his path. The American made a terrific save to palm away Arouna Kone’s shot, but Villa’s deficit was doubled two minutes later anyway, Lukaku heading in Seamus Coleman’s cross. That was the Belgian’s 50th Premier League goal, putting him in fine company.
Only Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo have managed as many before their 23rd birthdays.
“It is an impressive list of elite footballers and Rom fits into that group extremely well,” said Martinez. “We keep getting a reminder of what a special talent we have. He is a very young man with incredible potential and still only 22.”
Barkley is scarcely as potent but this was a landmark occasion for the 21-year-old, too. His first Everton double was completed when he capitalised capitalise as Guzan spilled the ball after leaving his line to stop Kone scoring. “When you are 3-0 down at half-time, the game is over,” Garde admitted. “But we are at a big club and nobody has the right to let it down. I won’t.”
Villa must hope he does not. This is the most played fixture in English league history, the 201st clash in a rivalry that dates back to 1888, but historic foes may be separated by a division next season. Villa have only procured two points from 12 games. They have never begun a season so poorly. Unless Garde can effect a remarkable renaissance, they may begin the next in the Championship.
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