Aston Villa's captain John McGinn put on a midfield masterclass as he drove his side to a narrow 2-1 victory over Everton on Saturday afternoon, helping his side claim their first three points of the season.

The Scotland international was instrumental in the heart of the pitch, with his movement and neat passes leaving the Toffees spellbound at times.

Danny Ings and Emi Buendia were the scorers, with the latter particularly impressing off the bench after Philippe Coutinho had to be withdrawn early due to injury.

However, it was the 27-year-old who shone the brightest, alongside Jacob Ramsey - who was awarded man of the match by BT Sport’s commentary team.

Earning an 8.1 rating on SofaScore, the relentless dynamo was unstoppable for Villa as he won nine of his ten ground duels (90%), further emphasising just how dominant he was over Frank Lampard’s midfield.

McGinn also make two key passes and created one big chance, suggesting that, despite his defensive credentials shining through during the game, he still managed to be a creative outlet for his side. His dependability is also outlined in his 87% pass success rate.

Elsewhere, the £28.8m-rated general also recorded a 100% dribble success rate whilst not being beaten by an opponent once himself. The perfect all-around performance from one of the best all-around midfielders in the league.

His impressive SofaScore rating takes his average to the start of the season to 7.45 as he looks to improve on last season’s extremely impressive average of 7.29.

It is no wonder manager Steven Gerrard was so keen to strip Tyrone Mings of the captaincy and gift it to this Scottish stalwart, who is proving why he deserves it.

 

Once lauded as a “relentless creature” by Mat Kendrick, the Scotsman seems to get better with each passing season. Today was just another example of how he keeps smashing his ceiling with exceptional performances.

McGinn helped to overcome the Toffees with his dominant midfield display and is sure to be giving Everton and their supporters nightmares this evening.