There is always someone worse off than you, so it is said, and Villa don't need to look too far for a shining example of that someone this weekend.

Whatever frustrations have been felt by Villa fans during the last 12 months, a time when the realisation of squad reshaping and ambition downsizing has slowly dawned, those frustrations can be multiplied for those who populate the blue half of Merseyside.

While there's no doubt there has been a change of transfer policy at Villa over the last year, from sustained investment to the introduction of a sell to buy method, Everton have continued to do little more than just sell. Yes, Villa have lost big players this summer and, yes, manager Alex McLeish was not given the full proceeds of transfer fees generated by those sales, but at least the Villa boss was able to spend something.

Everton's David Moyes, on the other hand, has been restricted to the point of total handicap. Already without the lively and inventive Steven Pienaar, who joined Spurs in January, Moyes lost playmaker Mikel Arteta in the final hours of transfer deadline day. Arguably already light in the striking department last season, Everton have since lost Yakubu to Blackburn, and Jermaine Beckford to Leicester; Moyes now has next to nothing in terms of forward options, and his dependency on Louis Saha, a player I have always rated highly but who has suffered terribly with injury throughout his career, is critical.

On the incoming list, just three players, all on season-long loans. If Holland's Royston Drenthe can re-capture the form which earned him a move to Real Madrid several seasons ago, then he might prove a shrewd purchase (though a left-sided defender/midfield is not really where Everton are lacking). I confess to knowing next to nothing (alright, nothing) about Denis Stracqualursi and Eric Dier. I suspect many Everton fans feel the same. They'll be hoping ignorance is bliss.

So, what to expect of Everton? It could just be the perfect time for Villa to go to Goodison and capitalise on the malaise around the club. Or, having had the best part of two weeks to silently fume, manager, players and fans could unite and Villa may just find themselves walking into a storm.

One thing is just about certain with Everton, though: they rarely, if ever, give a game away, and I have a feeling Moyes will have the players jumping. Result wise, it's a tough one to call. This Everton team don't seem to have a lot of goals in them. Villa should, but two goalless draws out of the first three Premier League games this season suggests something hasn't yet clicked; perhaps that's down to the fact that three of our most creative players have started those games on the bench.

Team selection, with Alan Hutton and Jermaine Jenas available, could be interesting.
I can see both starting, but Jenas coming in for Fabian Delph, which wouldn't necessarily be my choice. My impression of McLeish, however, is that he's very much a safety first man, and I can't see - though I would love to see - Stilian Petrov making way for Jenas.

I daren't even dream that Barry Bannan gets the nod in the role behind Darren Bent instead of Emile Heskey.

Finally, if recent history tells us anything about this fixture, it's that we shouldn't be surprised to see some late drama. This game has provided me with three of my favourite Villa moments of the last decade or so; Paul Merson's fantastic injury-time winner in November 2000, a chip from all of 35 yards (sometimes I like to remember it as being as far out as 50 yards, or 60 yards). The rollercoaster 2-2 draw in April 2008, when Gabby Agbonlahor equalised with ten minutes to go, only for Everton to score what seemed to be the winner on 84 minutes, only - only! - for big John Carew to level again a minute later to get a draw. I watched that game at home on TV, and screamed so loudly when Carew scored that the neighbours came round to check everything was okay.

And, of course, that absolute cracker in December 2008, when Joleon Lescott snatched a draw, scoring right at the death to make it 2-2. Or he thought he had. Ashley Young scampered right down the other end from kick-off to grab the winner; Everton were still celebrating.

Fantastic. A little bit more of that on Saturday wouldn't go amiss.