Aston Villa 3-2 Everton: Jhon Duran scores long-range thunderbolt and Ollie Watkins bags a double as Unai Emery’s side come back from two-goal deficit to win

John Textor compared owning Everton to being president of the United States this week, but he may decide that the job opposite Donald Trump or Kamala Harris is easier than the one he could soon get.

For the second time in two weeks, Everton have thrown away a two-goal lead to be beaten, this time by Aston Villa. While this collapse was not as dramatic as the home defeat to Bournemouth, who scored three times in the final minutes at Goodison Park on August 31, it can be no less damaging for Sean Dyche and his players. They have yet to pick up a point this season.

It will also be little consolation that it took one of the best goals of the season so far to sink Dyche’s men. Jhon Duran, Villa’s king of chaos, had only been on the pitch for seven minutes when he scored brilliantly from distance. American businessman Textor must sell his 45 per cent stake in Crystal Palace to take control of Everton and he is attempting to do so while the club are suffering their worst start to a top-flight season since 1958.

“If there’s something in the psyche, I don’t know,” Dyche admitted. “If there’s team mistakes, that’s my fault. We deserve more from our last few performances. You need a killer instinct in both boxes.

‘I didn’t expect us to slip through this season like this. I know where the challenges are in the squad. People aren’t fully fit and we’ve lost players, but I believed we would start better. There are huge challenges ahead of us and we have to put things right. It’s my job to get it right.’

Things were looking so good for Everton when they took a two-goal lead through Dwight McNeil and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The advantage was gone when Ollie Watkins scored either side of half-time, with Duran putting the seal on it, although Calvert-Lewin still hit the underside of the bar in the closing stages.

Emery said: ‘Football is about being organised, but also about players who can do something special. Duran’s potential is huge and I want to get the best out of him. He will improve and become more confident. Watkins scored twice today and we are proud of how we play with two strikers.’

They breathed a sigh of relief in the posh seats as the protest against Villa’s soaring £97 ticket prices for home Champions League games barely materialised.

Villa have an excellent record against Everton since returning to the top division five years ago and early signs suggested they would retain that position.

Everton struggled to get out of their own half but somehow took the lead in the 16th minute. Amadou Onana, who left Goodison Park for Villa last summer for £50m, was rolled out of his pocket by McNeil and, despite a relatively weak angle, his shot found the far corner. Emi Martinez struck the grass furiously.

Just over 10 minutes later it was 2. McNeil swung over the kick from the right and, with Martinez unsure whether to stay or go, Calvert-Lewin rose unhindered to head the ball in from six yards.

Villa were stunned, but at least they had Morgan Rogers. The forward, collecting a pass from John McGinn, stepped around James Tarkowski but fired too close to Jordan Pickford.

Villa finally got their goal nine minutes before half-time. Onana found Lucas Digne on the left and the Frenchman chipped to the far post where Watkins leapt over Michael Keane to head past Pickford – his first goal in an eight-game drought.

Early in the second half, Pickford made a brilliant save from a Rogers attack and when the loose ball fell to Jacob Ramsey, his effort deflected off James Garner – replacing the injured Vitalii Mykolenko – and rebounded back to Watkins, who was unable to reorientate himself in time.

Villa had an even narrower escape moments later, the flag remaining low as Calvert-Lewin latched onto McNeil’s pass and rounded Martinez, but Ezri Konsa arrived just in time to slot him behind.

How costly it proved when Bournemouth’s demons began to haunt Everton again. Jack Harrison tried to intercept Youri Tielemans’ pass, but could only direct it in the direction of Watkins. From a prime position, the English forward stabilised and sent it past Pickford.

Watkins could have completed a hat-trick when he came close to turning in a cross from Rogers after a smart move from Tielemans and John McGinn.

Watkins criticised Rogers for hitting the pass too wide on that occasion, but on the next chance he had only himself to blame for directing substitute Ian Maatsen’s return wide of the goal.

But Everton were not yet tamed and Calvert-Lewin came very close to connecting another cross from the impressive McNeil.

Then their nightmare was complete. Duran collected a back pass from Tielemans from 30 yards out, took aim and promptly found the top corner. Even Pickford, one of the most athletic goalkeepers in the competition, could do nothing about it.

Everton tried to respond and Calvert-Lewin came close to saving the ball when he deflected Pau Torres’ ball against the underside of the crossbar.

Aston Villa (4-4-2): Martinez 5; Bogarde 5.5, Konsa 6, Torres 5, Digne 7 (Maatsen 69, 6.5); McGinn 6.5, Onana 6 (Barkley 46, 6.5), Tielemans 8, Ramsey 6 (Duran 69, 7.5); Rogers 7.5, Watkins 7 (Buendia 84).

Goalscorers: Watkins 36, 58, Duran 76

Booked: Martinez, Emery

Manager: Unai Emery 7

Everton (4-2-3-1): Pickford 6.5; Young 6, Tarkowski 7, Keane 7, Mykolenko 6 (Garner 26, 6.5); Iroegbunam 6.5 (Beto 81), Gueye 6 (O’Brien 64, 6); Harrison 5.5 (Mangala 64, 6), McNeil 7.5 Ndiaye 7 (Lindstrom 81); Calvert-Lewin 6.5.

Goalscorers: McNeil 16, Calvert-Lewin 27

Booked: Ndiaye, Iroegbunam, Young, O’Brien

Manager: Sean Dyche5.5

Referee: Craig Pawson7

Presence: 41,920