Premier League wrap: Bad day for Everton in battle to beat the drop

Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins scored a penalty and Emiliano Buendia added a second goal as they beat Everton 2-0 in a frenetic Premier League encounter at Goodison Park on Saturday to leave the home side in the bottom three.

Despite dominating the game for long spells, Everton could not fashion a goal and are now 18th in the table on 21 points, above Bournemouth on goal difference, while Villa are 11th on 31 points.

The best chance of a high-energy first half fell to Everton, with Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez forced into a superb reflex save to deny Amadu Onana's header in the 34th minute.

With Villa pinned back in their own half and struggling to pass the ball out from the back, Everton went even closer in the 54th minute as Tyrone Mings was forced to clear the ball off the line after a goal-mouth scramble.

Watkins went close with a header before Villa were awarded a penalty in the 61st minute when McGinn was upended in the box by Idrissa Gueye. Watkins stepped up and smashed the spot kick past Jordan Pickford to break the deadlock.

Everton poured forward in search of an equaliser but they were punished when Buendia collected a pass from John McGinn and lashed a shot inside the near post in the 81st minute to secure the win for Villa.

New Leeds United manager Javi Gracia's reign began with a 1-0 home victory over bottom club Southampton as Junior Firpo's goal helped the Yorkshire club to snap a 10-game winless run and move out of the relegation zone on Saturday.

Leeds jumped to 17th on 22 points after 24 games, a point above the drop zone, following a first league win since before the World Cup break.

The hosts dominated possession in Gracia's first game since his appointment this week and edged a scrappy first half in which