Marco Silva is certain Everton will quickly locate their clinical edge – but the manager did not disguise his frustration over the Blues coming away from Aston Villa with nothing to show for a largely controlled display.

Villa survived a sustained period of pressure to hit the front on 21 minutes when striker Wesley converted the hosts' first effort of the game.

Everton pushed for a leveller and debutant Alex Iwobi cracked the foot of a post, while fellow substitute Theo Walcott shot over from a promising position in the box.

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Villa countered in the final minute of stoppage time and Anwar El Ghazi squeezed home to condemn the Blues to a first Premier League defeat of the season.

“My first feeling is we did not achieve what we deserved,” said Silva.

“We started well, when you play away and create three or four clear chances and don’t score the result will not be the best.

“We have to be more clinical. We have played two away games and created six or seven clear chances but not scored.

“We improved in terms of chances created in this game.

“But you have to be more clinical.

“I believe and expect we will start to score more in the next games because we are creating the chances.

“The players have tried everything, their attitude was there and it is up to us to score.”

Everton had 12 shots to Villa’s seven and a 65 per cent possession share in Friday’s encounter.

Silva’s side had six corners to Villa’s none and from one such set-piece Lucas Digne drove a volley which was destined for goal but for the intervention of defender Tyrone Mings.

Mings’s central defensive partner Bjorn Engels blocked another shot directed on target by Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Those incidents sandwiched Villa’s opening goal, which was the product of a quickly taken free-kick on halfway. Attacker Jota sped forward and released Wesley for a smart finish across Jordan Pickford.

Iwboi smacked the woodwork on 82 minutes and Walcott was off target from close range soon after.

Everton’s final chance fell to left-back Digne, who skied his effort after being set up by Walcott.

El Ghazi wrapped up victory for the home side after being played in by John McGinn to rifle underneath Pickford.

Everton, who drew 0-0 at Crystal Palace on the opening day and beat Watford 1-0 at Goodison Park last week, return to Premier League action when Wolverhampton Wanderers visit L4 next Sunday.

Before then, Silva takes his side to League One Lincoln City for a Carabao Cup second-round tie.

In his bid to force an equaliser at Villa, the manager put on Iwobi, Walcott and Moise Kean and altered his formation.

“We started this game like we planned and had a chance from a corner with Lucas Digne,” added Silva.

“The first time they went in our box they scored.

“We were aware they try to play fast free kicks but we lost our focus and they created the chance.

"In our defensive organisation, we should have gone with the striker’s move.

“You have to keep your focus for 95 minutes, not just for some parts of the game.

“But we reacted and created a clear chance for Dominic.

“In the first half we created more than Villa and we controlled the second half, when it was not easy to play against them with nine players around their box.

“But they were winning and that is normal.

“We changed to 4-4-2 and started to cause more problems, we hit the post then had a big chance with Theo Walcott.

“It wasn’t just possession, we created more chances, had so many corners and more shots… I think we deserved something more.

“But when you create chances and don’t score, the result will not be the best.”