Aston Villa, with sharply executed goals from Julian Joachim, Dion Dublin and Ian Taylor, maintained their 100 per cent record last night and in so doing eased their way past Arsenal to the top of the Premiership.

It was a lamentable performance by Everton who had John Collins sent off in the 49th minute after his second yellow card.

Taylor merely added to their deepening miseries when he volleyed the third goal six minutes before the close, a strike which accentuated the disparity between the two teams.

Villa were well aware that an early goal would place enormous pressure on Everton's fragile attacking powers and Joachim did the business. It was a ball from Ehiogu that put the sweetest of openings into motion. Dublin beat Gough in the air, placing the ball into the path of a sprinting Joachim, who slotted the bal past the advancing Gerrard.

Collins finally achieved Everton's first direct shot on goal just after half-time, one comfortably saved by David James, but the Scot had no chance to think of another one before he was sent off for a second yellow card, a repeat of an earlier mis-timed tackle on Mark Delaney.

Worse was quickly to follow as Everton conceded a second goal. Alan Thompson accelerated hard at their defence before releasing the ball to Alan Wright on the left whose rather gentle cross was volleyed in right footed by Dublin who was standing all alone by the penalty spot.

Aston Villa: James, Wright, Southgate, Ehiogu, Boateng (Hendrie 58), Taylor, Dublin (Merson 62), Thompson (Stone 68), Joachim, Delaney, Calderwood. Subs Not Used: Ghrayib, Oakes. Booked: Wright, Ehiogu. Goals: Joachim 9, Dublin 57, Taylor 85.

Everton: Gerrard, Ball, Gough, Unsworth, Collins, Barmby, Campbell, Hutchison, Gemmill (Pembridge 73), Weir, Ward (Jeffers 73). Subs Not Used: Dunne, Cadamarteri, Simonsen. Sent Off: Collins (50). Booked: Collins, Hutchison.

Att: 30,337.

Referee: G Barber (Pyrford).