Everton Stun Aston Villa With Barry’s Decisive Goal

Everton pulled off a gritty and much-needed 1-0 away win at Aston Villa on Sunday, January 18, 2026, in Premier League Matchweek 22, snapping a decade-long drought against the Villans and reigniting hope for European qualification under manager David Moyes. The Toffees, whose away form had been overshadowed by inconsistent home performances, delivered a defensive masterclass at Villa Park, frustrating Unai Emery’s third-placed side and capitalizing on a rare mistake to claim all three points.

From the opening whistle, the match was a tense affair, with both teams probing for an early advantage. Villa started brightly, dominating possession and looking to exploit Everton’s makeshift midfield, weakened by the ongoing absences of Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye due to AFCON commitments. Yet, Everton’s defensive discipline—anchored by the impressive partnership of O’Brien and Tarkowski—kept the hosts at bay. Early on, Villa’s Evann Guessand nearly broke the deadlock, heading a cross from Youri Tielemans onto the bar, but Jordan Pickford’s sharp reactions and a touch of luck preserved the stalemate.

Everton, meanwhile, showed flashes of attacking intent on the counter. In the very first minute, a long ball from Pickford was flicked on by Thierno Barry to Merlin Rohl, whose effort rattled the post. The Toffees’ resilience was evident, as they weathered Villa’s pressure and gradually grew into the contest. As the first half wore on, both sides exchanged blows—Dwight McNeil and Barry combining well on the flanks, while Villa’s Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia threatened but failed to find the breakthrough.

The halftime whistle blew with the score locked at 0-0, but the sense was that Everton, despite being outplayed in spells, had executed Moyes’ game plan to perfection. “Everton did all they had to do correctly. They kept their shape, defended well, rode their luck at times and created chances from counter attacks and setpieces. Everything but score (according to VAR), as always,” observed one match commentator.

The decisive moment arrived in the 60th minute, and it was a sequence that encapsulated Everton’s determination and opportunism. A deep ball into the Villa half saw Ezri Konsa under pressure from Barry, whose hustle forced Konsa into a hurried clearance. The ball fell to Pau Torres, but his poor touch allowed Dwight McNeil to pounce and unleash a curling shot. Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez could only parry the effort, and Barry—alert and relentless—dinked the rebound over the onrushing Martinez to send the away fans into raptures. “Barry hassles Ezri Konsa’s collection of a long ball, and Konsa barely gets the ball to Pau Torres. Torres makes a mess of it, Dwight McNeil gets it and fires toward Emiliano Martinez. The keeper who cannot hold the ball, and Barry is there first. He dinks the ball over the on-lunging Martinez for 1-0,” reported NBC Sports.

VAR, which had earlier ruled out an Everton goal for offside, offered no reprieve for Villa this time, and the Toffees celebrated their first lead at Villa Park in years. The goal marked Barry’s fourth of the season and solidified his status as one of Everton’s most promising attackers.

Villa responded with urgency, pouring forward in search of an equalizer. Substitute Lucas Digne—facing his former club—delivered dangerous crosses, while Rogers and Buendia probed for openings. However, Everton’s backline, marshaled by Tarkowski and the ever-reliable Pickford, stood firm. Pickford produced a stunning save to deny Rogers, diving at full stretch to tip a curling effort over the bar, and later bravely punched away a series of threatening corners. “Jordan Pickford comes up huge. Morgan Rogers takes on a loose ball outside the 18 and somehow curls a ball over and through traffic for the upper 90. The only thing more remarkable than his aim is Jordan Pickford’s vision and timing to slap the ball away for a corner kick,” noted NBC Sports.

As the rain intensified and the clock ticked down, Villa’s frustration grew. The hosts dominated possession—67% in the first half—but struggled to create clear-cut chances against Everton’s compact defensive shape. Emery introduced teenager George Hemmings and Digne in an attempt to spark a late rally, but the Toffees’ resolve never wavered. Moyes made a late substitution, bringing on Beto for Barry in the 84th minute to add fresh legs up front and help see out the result.

The final whistle from referee Tony Harrington was met with jubilation from the Everton bench. Not only had they secured their first victory over Villa since 2016, but they also handed Unai Emery his first defeat to the Toffees as Villa boss. The win propelled Everton into 10th place on 32 points, just three points off fifth and four off fourth, reigniting hopes of a long-awaited return to European competition. “It’s Everton’s best win of the season and delivers the Toffees a spot in the top half of the table,” summarized NBC Sports.

For Villa, the defeat was a missed opportunity to close the gap on Premier League leaders Arsenal. They remain in third place, seven points adrift, and now face a quick turnaround with a Europa League clash at Fenerbahce looming, followed by a tricky trip to Newcastle United in the league. Injuries to key players such as John McGinn and the return of Guessand from AFCON added to Emery’s selection headaches, while the inability to break down a resolute Everton side will raise questions ahead of the season’s crucial phase.

Everton, meanwhile, will look to build on this momentum with key players set to return from international duty and the defense looking as solid as it has all season. Moyes’ tactical acumen and the emergence of young talents like Barry and Rohl have given the Toffees faithful renewed optimism. With a week to prepare before their next Premier League fixture on Monday, January 26, Everton’s project suddenly feels right back on track.

On a wet and wild afternoon in Birmingham, it was Everton who weathered the storm, both literally and figuratively, and left Villa Park with a statement win that could well define their season.