West Ham United will look to shrug off their recent terrible form and fight way back into their European spot when they face Aston Villa this weekend.
Key Takeaways
- West Ham have conceded most goals among top 10 ranked teams in table at the moment
- Aston Villa are unbeaten in last 7 away games
- Aston have only won once in last 5 head to head meetings
The strength of Aston Villa's squad is similar to that of West Ham's squad, and both teams have some exciting players in their squads. West Ham are fighting for a place in the Conference League, while Aston Villa are looking to qualify for the Champions League; therefore, we can expect an interesting match.
West Ham United Form
West Ham have been seen this season. They didn't look much consistent in the start, made some momentum in mid-season but have fallen in recent games. In the last five Premier League games, they have only won once which is not so good for a team like them.
They turned the deficit against Freiburg in the last game which will give them a boost and can provide them the momentum which they desperately need at this moment. With games coming thick and fast, West Ham fans will be edge of the seats as end games decide team's fate for next season.
Aston Villa Form
Aston Villa are still at fourth spot but last match’s loss against Tottenham must have came as a big shock to them. They were completely dismantled and it is going to be hard for them to rise from that smashing. However, big characters are build from these situations only which was evident in last games 4-0 victory.
Aston need to pull their socks up and not give an inch to Tottenham to sneak in through for that fourth spot. Unai Emery has not only improved team tactically but the improved character of players have been the biggest highlight of his tenure. We can expect a another good outing from Aston.
Head-to-Head
Aston and West Ham are teams of same stature and we can expect a tight game. In last 20 games, West Ham had a upper hand with 9 wins while Aston won only 5.
Team News
Aston have some serious injuries concerns to take a look at for this game. Kamara, Buendia, Ramsey, Hause, and Mings are injured for this game while McGinn is suspended and unavailable.
West Ham are going to be without Emerson who is tackling though injury while Cornet is out with hamstring injury.
Key Players
Ollie Watkins has been the star for Aston for years but this year, he has taken his game to next level. He has scored 16 goals and has provided 10 assists. Watkins is arguably one of best strikers in the Premier League and more than his goals, it's his work rate which makes him special and lethal against everyone.
Similar to Watkins in Aston Villa, Jarrod Bowen is running the show in West Ham with 14 goals in 27 games. He has been an electric force in attack and West Ham attack is heavily dependent on him. He has rise to occasions time to time but need to be at his top of game of West Ham wants to beat Aston.
Final Thoughts
It is going to be a tough game for both sides but we expect a slight advantage for Aston who are in better form. Aston may have got shattered last week but they know how to comeback and we can expect the same in this game. West Ham have lacked options in attack and especially against big teams, they have struggled to come together as team.