Aston Villa and Everton are two of the oldest clubs in the land, so naturally, they've played each other a fair few times over the years.
Everton are one of six clubs never to be relegated from the Premier League since its formation in 1992, though, that mantle is becoming increasingly threatened each season.
The Toffees appear likely to be in a third successive relegation battle this term, whilst Villa, on the other hand, have their eyes laid on a top-six finish.
Unai Emery, since arriving in the West Midlands last November, has completely changed the club's fortunes and catapulted his side into European contention.
Having finished in seventh place last season, the Villans are plying their trade in the UEFA Europa Conference League this year and will certainly have aspirations to win it as one of the favourites of the competition.
The pair will meet in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and ahead of their clash, Football FanCast has decided to delve into the history of the fixture.
Aston Villa vs Everton: Who has the better head-to-head record?
Since records began, Aston Villa vs Everton is the most-played clash in English football, as both sides have a rich history of facing off against each other dating all the way back to 1888.
The Villans have a slight upper hand in terms of results spread over their time competing against each other; nevertheless, the pair sit on a fairly even playing field in terms of stature, which is reflected in the overall ratio of wins, draws or losses, either gained or suffered.
Historically, Aston Villa and Everton have always been regarded as stereotypical big clubs in the English game, with their finest hours coming in the 1980s regarding worldwide prominence.
Aston Villa won their last top-flight title in 1980/81 and secured a famous European Cup triumph in the year following, while Everton claimed First Division glory in 1984/85 and 1986/87, alongside winning the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1985 under the stewardship of Howard Kendall.
Aston Villa wins
87
Draws
60
Everton wins
82
Aston Villa vs Everton: Who has the better cup record?
In a very close-run contest, Aston Villa have managed to shade one more victory than their rivals across the piece in their 18 meetings in total across all domestic cup competitions.
Given both sides have been involved in the upper echelons of the English game and are of a similar standing from a footballing point of view, seeing five draws in the overall count won't come as a surprise to many.
Looking at cup honours from a general standpoint, Aston Villa have racked up an impressive seven FA Cup wins and five League Cup triumphs. On the other hand, Everton have five FA Cup trophies to their name.
Aston Villa wins
7
Draws
5
Everton wins
6
Aston Villa vs Everton: Who has more wins at Villa Park/Wellington Road?
Aston Villa reign supreme on home turf and have made their own ground a fortress when Everton come calling to the West Midlands.
From 1988 to 2003, the Villans actually never lost a single home clash against Everton in any competition, embarking on a 16-match unbeaten streak from the late eighties to beyond the swing of the millennium.
Despite this, Everton have enjoyed their share of the spoils along the way and provided their fair share of problems as a stubborn away opponent.
Aston Villa wins
53
Draws
28
Everton wins
29
Aston Villa vs Everton: Who has more wins at Goodison Park or Anfield?
Yes, Everton were indeed briefly a tenant at Anfield before a dispute over rent led the Toffees to make a home for themselves at Goodison Park, which has become a treasured place for their fanatical home support.
On their own turf, Everton have managed to get the better of Aston Villa over the years, maintaining a strong record whenever the Villans travel from the West Midlands to Merseyside.
Aston Villa have still managed to get their own way on some occasions – especially in recent times, as they are currently on a four-match unbeaten run at Goodison Park.
Everton wins
53
Draws
29
Aston Villa wins
31
Aston Villa vs Everton: What were the last six meetings?
20th August 2023 – Aston Villa 4-0 Everton: The Toffees were on the end of a thumping in the West Midlands last month, as Villa put four past them.
John McGinn broke the deadlock in the 18th minute which welcomed the floodgates to open as Douglas Luiz netted one shortly after, before Leon Bailey and Jhon Duran added a third and fourth.
The win for the Villans was a much-needed one following their damning 5-1 defeat against Newcastle United in their season opener, whilst the defeat for the Toffees sunk them to rock bottom, having lost their first match at home to Fulham.
25th February 2023 – Everton 0-2 Aston Villa: In a game that carried major consequences at the bottom end of the table, goals from Ollie Watkins and Emi Buendia were enough to claim a comfortable victory for the visitors and plunge Everton into relegation territory.
Everton had 15 shots on goal during the match and looked threatening; however, they were profligate in front of the target and were subsequently punished by the ruthlessness of Emery's well-oiled Aston Villa outfit.
Most notably, this particular fixture will be remembered for Villa striker Watkins netting his fifth goal in five consecutive Premier League matches.
22nd August 2022 – Aston Villa 2-1 Everton: Steven Gerrard managed to guide his Aston Villa side to their first Premier League victory of 2022/23 in the reverse fixture back in August 2022, as strikes from Danny Ings and Emi Buendia cancelled out a late Lucas Digne own goal at Villa Park.
Frank Lampard was in charge of Everton for the clash and his side did threaten to take a point in the latter stages; nevertheless, the hosts claimed an overall deserved three points on home soil.
22nd January 2022 – Everton 0-1 Aston Villa: Once again, the scourge of Buendia condemned Everton to a loss against Premier League rivals Aston Villa, as the Argentina international headed in on the stroke of half-time to hand Toffees caretaker Duncan Ferguson a defeat in his second interim stint in charge.
Everton were toothless in front of goal and couldn't muster an all-important equaliser. At the same time, Aston Villa dug deep and threw bodies on the line to ensure they left Goodison Park with their clean sheet intact.
18th September 2021 – Aston Villa 3-0 Everton: Matty Cash, Leon Bailey and an own goal from Lucas Digne made sure of a dominant 3-0 victory for Aston Villa at home to Everton under Dean Smith, who claimed his second victory of the 2021/22 campaign.
Everton boss Rafael Benitez saw their four-match unbeaten run come to an end at Villa Park, and truth be told, it was the beginning of the downward spiral for the Spaniard at the club following his controversial appointment.
13th May 2021 – Aston Villa 0-0 Everton: Aston Villa and Everton played out a dismal 0-0 draw on the 35th matchday of the 2020/21 Premier League campaign, denting the visitors' hopes of securing continental qualification.
Jack Grealish returned to the fold as a second-half substitute for his boyhood club; however, the less said about this game is probably for the better.
Who has played for both Aston Villa and Everton?
Ashley Young (Aston Villa 2007-2011, 2021-2023; Everton 2023-present): The most obvious candidate here is ex-Villa icon Ashley Young, who featured 247 times for the Villans over two separate spells in the West Midlands, registering 38 goals and 60 assists, as per Transfermarkt.
This summer, the 38-year-old completed a move to Everton on a free transfer and could well be involved this weekend against his former employers, having started for the Blues last Saturday in their opening-day defeat to Fulham.
Gareth Barry (Aston Villa 1998-2009; Everton 2013-2017): Taking a trip down memory lane, former England international Gareth Barry enjoyed a distinguished career in the English top flight and spent 11 years of his senior career at Aston Villa, becoming one of the most important players at the club in the heart of the engine room.
The 42-year-old moved to Manchester City in 2011 and became a Premier League and FA Cup champion before initially joining Everton on a season-long loan deal in 2013.
Hastings-born Barry would turn his move to Goodison Park into a permanent one a year later and racked up over 150 appearances for the Blues before finishing his career at West Bromwich Albion.
Lucas Digne (Everton 2018-2022; Aston Villa 2022-present): Another name associated with both clubs in recent times is Lucas Digne, who arrived at Aston Villa from Everton last year after four years on Merseyside.
Despite a promising start to his time at Villa Park, Unai Emery could be set to move on the Frenchman this summer and is open to offers for the 30-year-old before the transfer window closes, according to The Daily Mail.
What is Aston Villa's biggest victory over Everton?
5th November 1989 – Aston Villa 6-2 Everton: Aston Villa's biggest-ever victory against Everton came back in 1989, where goals from Kent Nielsen, Gordon Cowans and doubles from David Platt and Ian Olney shot the Villans into a 6-0 lead on home soil.
Despite surrendering a pair of late consolation goals, Aston Villa inflicted a trouncing on their league rivals and managed to move up to fourth place in the old First Division.
It's worth noting that Villa equalled their biggest-ever victory against Wednesday's opposition last month, as they won by a four-goal margin (4-0).
What is Everton's biggest victory over Aston Villa?
4th January 1890: Everton 7-0 Aston Villa: Very little data is available surrounding this fixture due to the fact that it happened so long ago; however, Everton defeated Aston Villa 7-0 in 1890, which remains their biggest victory over the Villans to date.
The Toffees finished runners-up behind champions Preston North End in what was the second season of the Football League.
Aston Villa vs Everton: Classic meetings
7th December 2008 – Everton 2-3 Aston Villa: Ashley Young scored an injury-time winner for Aston Villa to break Everton hearts at Goodison Park.
The home side thought they had earned a share of the spoils after Joleon Lescott equalised in the dying embers just seconds earlier.
Lescott and Young both scored braces for their respective sides, while Steve Sidwell got the visitors up and running with a strike in the first minute of the game.
2nd February 2013 – Everton 3-3 Aston Villa: In a pulsating Premier League bout at Goodison Park, Marouane Fellaini produced some heroics in the second half to score a double, including an injury-time equaliser, to ensure that Everton claimed a deserved point at home to Aston Villa.
The Villans lost their chance to lay claim to a first victory of 2013 and were stuck in the relegation zone due to their failure to collect all three points on the road.