If there are such things as a statement draw, Graham Potter’s West Ham might’ve just collected one from a 1-1 split with Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday.
Emerson Palmieri’s second-half header answered Jacob Ramsey’s early goal as West Ham pulled 11 points clear of the bottom three and into 13th place on the Premier League table.
The Irons were away to a Champions League side fighting to stay in the top four picture, and Potter’s third Premier League game in charge of West Ham would see him without two center backs, two center forwards, and Jarrod Bowen.
And while Villa can point to its midweek match at Monaco as reason for fading down the stretch, West Ham can say they had a solid argument for three points on the day.
Villa moves to 37 points and sit eighth, three points back of sixth and four back of third.
Potter’s shorthanded Irons hammer out deserved away point
There are loads of false dawns for Premier League managerial tenures, and overhyping one result is always dangerous, but West Ham have to be feeling great about the way Graham Potter got a point out of Villa Park on Sunday. Yes, Villa’s legs wore down as the game went on, but Potter got a point away from home despite playing only one true center back in Max Kilman, who was terrific in a back three (or five) as four of West Ham’s 10 outfield players were fullbacks (goal scorer Emerson Palmieri as well as Vladimir Coufal, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Aaron Cresswell. And it’s a pretty easy argument to make that West Ham could’ve easily won with a true center forward. Big summer buy Niclas Fullkrug missed this game and Michail Antonio remains out — not a CF, but top attacker Jarrod Bowen is injured, too — and West Ham won the xG battle and kept hold of 54% of the ball away from home. Things are looking up in East London for West Ham.
Aston Villa vs West Ham player ratings
(from fotmob.com)
Aston Villa vs West Ham player ratings (from fotmob.com)
Aston Villa vs West Ham player ratings (from fotmob.com)
What’s next?
Villa host Celtic with the chance to earn a Champions League bye with a win on Wednesday at Villa Park, then host Wolves back in the Premier League at 12:30pm ET Saturday.
West Ham wait for Monday, February 3, for a cross-London tussle with Potter’s old crew Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
How to watch Aston Villa vs West Ham live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 11:30am ET Sunday (January 26)
Venue: Villa Park — Birmingham
TV Channel: Peacock
Streaming: Premier League on Peacock
Aston Villa vs West Ham live score: 1-1
Jacob Ramsey 8', Emerson Palmieri 70'
Aston Villa vs West Ham live updates
Full time — Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham
West Ham offside goal deep in stoppage!
The Irons have it in the goal as Andy Irving’s hard shot is spilled by Martinez and worked into the goal, but the three rebound chasers were all offside.
Irons in control
Graham Potter’s men have looked the more comfortable side in the second half and Villa have even been more a counter attack side.
Maybe it’s down to Villa’s midweek legs from the Champions League loss to Monaco but West Ham look the more likely to find a winner as we enter the final 10 minutes.
Emerson Palmieri goal — Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham United (70th minute)
A great headed back post finish from Emerson, as Edson Alvarez sweeps a gorgeous cross over the field!
Halftime — Aston Villa 0-1 West Ham United
Turned into a bit of a scrappy slog, which West Ham will likely take given how shaky they looked early at Villa Park.
Is there a space for Guido Rodriguez in the midfield?
Villa took eight of the game’s 13 shot attempts and are leading in xG as well as real G, 0.52-0.33.
West Ham have held 56% of the ball.
Tyrone Mings injured, emotional in exit
The English center back, who missed such a long time with a terrible injury, is in tears as he subs out with injury in the 37th minute.
Mings missed most of last season with a serious right knee injury. The Villans just sanctioned Diego Carlos exit, and Ian Maatsen is entering the fray with Lucas Digne dropping into a center back role.
West Ham would probably take the final whistle
Jean-Clair Todibo’s injury and Konstantinos Mavropanos’ suspension mean Max Kilman is the only outright center back on the field right now.
Graham Potter is essentially playing five backs, four of whom are full backs. Aaron Cresswell and Vladimir Coufal surround Kilman in a back three, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is at right wing back and Emerson Palmieri is on the other side.
Offside flag denies Villa a second
Watkins plays provider to Morgan Rogers for a tap-in, but Watkins was offside on the first ball.
West Ham off the hook from being down two inside of 10 minutes.
Jacob Ramsey goal — Aston Villa 1-0 West Ham (8th minute)
Villa had been knocking, and this is some finish from Jacob Ramsey.
With a man on him, Ramsey latches onto the end of a well-worked team play to slot across goal and inside the post.
Ollie Watkins on the assist.
Aston Villa lineup
Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne, Ramsey, Kamara, Tielemans, Bailey, Rogers, Watkins
West Ham lineup
Areola, Coufal, Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Cresswell, Emerson, Alvarez, Soucek, Soler, Paqueta, Kudus
Aston Villa vs West Ham preview
The Villans are also in danger of hold a three-match winless run across all competitions after a 1-0 Champions League loss to Monaco coming on the heels of a 2-2 draw at Arsenal.
Villa will also be aware of next week’s UCL scrap with Celtic, when a bye to the knockout rounds is on the line.
West Ham have already gone to Villa under new boss Potter, losing an FA Cup tie 2-1 on January 10. In fact, the Irons’ new boss will have overseen two matches at the London Stadium and two at Villa Park.
The Irons are 10 points out of the bottom three and laser-focused on getting back into the European fight. Their 26 points are good for 14th place, and 10 points behind eighth-place Villa. This would be a huge three points.
Aston Villa team news, focus
OUT: John McGinn (hamstring), Pau Torres (ankle), Ross Barkley (calf) | QUESTIONABLE: Amadou Onana (thigh)
West Ham team news, focus
OUT: Niclas Fullkrug (hamstring), Michail Antonio (DETAILS), Jarrod Bowen (ankle), Jean-Clair Todibo (undisclosed), Konstantinos Mavropanos (suspension) | QUESTIONABLE: Crysencio Summerville (hamstring)
Aston Villa vs West Ham prediction
The Hammers are down a pair of center backs and center forwards for this game, and Jarrod Bowen remaining out really levels any advantage earned by Villa’s top to Monaco. But Potter will have a few new wrinkles for Villa and get another boost by the boss having seen his side play this team earlier this month. Maybe a minor upset here? Villa 1-1 West Ham.
