Disgruntled Aston Villa fans chanted "We want O'Leary out" as the visitors slumped to a heavy defeat at Goodison Park.

A patched-up Villa side were well beaten by Everton, who have now won six successive home league games, their best record since 1990.

David O'Leary could only watch as his defence was cut to shreds in the first half, James McFadden, Tim Cahill and Leon Osman putting the Toffees firmly in control at the break.

Villa, knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City in midweek, did mount a spirited comeback and Gabriel Agbonlahor scored on his debut, before a second Cahill goal arrived in the final minute.

Villa were crippled with injuries and had to give 19-year-old striker Agbonlahor his senior debut.

The Erdington-born youngster had been out on loan this season to Watford and Sheffield Wednesday and was the academy's record-breaking scorer two seasons ago, but this was still a big step up.

Everton were without Nuno Valente who is suffering with a thigh problem and that allowed Gary Naysmith in at left-back.

The start was delayed because thousands of Villa fans had been held up in 10-mile traffic queues on the northbound M6.

Agbonlahor and Luke Moore created problems for Everton in an early Villa attack, before Tony Hibbert's cross saw Cahill head wide of a post.

And Agbonlahor, despite a couple of welcoming tackles from Hibbert and David Weir, showed good movement and control as Villa had plenty of good early pressure, Steven Davis prompting well.

But Everton soon took over and were cruising by the break. They took the lead on 15 minutes when Alan Stubbs' long free-kick was headed down by James Beattie for McFadden to drive home from the edge of the box.

Villa should have equalised first when Stubbs cleared a Davis effort off the line and then following the resulting corner, both Agbonlahor and Davis also saw efforts cleared off the line by Cahill and Stubbs.

But that was about it as far as Villa's attacking was concerned and Everton moved two ahead after 22 minutes.

Phil Neville's long throw was headed on by Beattie for McFadden to get in a shot which came out off a post for Cahill to blast home.

On the stroke of half-time Cahill sent Arteta away on the left to pull back a cross which Osman reached first to fire home for the third.

Villa's defending hardly improved after 49 minutes when Cahill met Arteta's free-kick and planted a header wide from six yards.

But the game began to change when Arteta limped off after 56 minutes to be replaced by Kevin Kilbane, Villa withdrawing Craig Gardner and sending on Lee Hendrie.

Villa started to look threatening and pulled a goal back after 63 minutes when Hendrie's ball released Agbonlahor on the right and he produced a right-footed angled shot which went past Richard Wright too easily and inside the far post.

The youngster almost struck again four minutes later when he outpaced Stubbs to see a shot deflected just wide. Everton were getting jittery.

Hendrie worked his way into the box to see a shot charged down by Naysmith as Villa continued to show spirit to turn around what looked a lost cause at the break. Wright needed to be alert to pull down a Gavin McCann header.

Moore almost got around Weir with three minutes left, and only a desperate clearance got the ball away from an open goal.

Mellberg was booked after 89 minutes for a foul on Cahill, and from the free-kick the ball was lifted into the box for McFadden to backheel to Cahill, with the Australian drilling home his second goal of the game.

Teams

Everton Wright, Hibbert, Weir, Stubbs, Naysmith, Osman,Neville, Cahill, Arteta (Kilbane 56), Beattie, McFadden.

Subs Not Used: Westerveld, Yobo, Davies, Van der Meyde.

Booked: Cahill.

Goals: McFadden 16, Cahill 22, Osman 45, Cahill 90.

Aston Villa Sorensen, Hughes (Samuel 29), Mellberg, Ridgewell,Bouma, Gardner (Hendrie 57), Davis, McCann, Barry, Moore,Agbonlahor.

Subs Not Used: Taylor, Djemba-Djemba, Whittingham.

Booked: Gardner, Bouma, Mellberg.

Goals: Agbonlahor 64.

Att: 36,507

Ref: R Styles (Hampshire).