Aston Villa heads to the London Stadium on Sunday, riding an impressive wave of momentum. The team has achieved eight consecutive victories in all competitions and has secured nine wins in their last ten matches. Currently, Villa sits just six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, making them strong contenders as they prepare to face West Ham United.
Aston Villa’s Title Challenge
Villa’s recent form places them firmly in the Premier League title conversation. With five straight league wins, the club is determined to challenge for the top spot. However, the historical context reveals a challenge: Aston Villa has not achieved consecutive away victories against West Ham since the 1995/96 season, a statistic they aim to change.
Unbelievable Winning Streak
The current eight-match winning streak is the club’s longest in over a century. They are just three wins shy of matching their all-time record of 11 consecutive victories, set back in 1914. Notably, no Premier League team has gathered more points or wins away from home since March.
This match offers Villa another opportunity to confirm their status as serious title challengers.
West Ham’s Struggles
Facing Aston Villa will be West Ham, who are keen to escape the relegation zone. The Hammers have lost only once in their last six matches, with two wins and three draws. Their manager, Nuno Espirito Santo, has an even record against Villa’s Unai Emery, winning three and losing three matches.
Head-to-Head Record
The matchup sees both teams with intriguing trends:
- Aston Villa is unbeaten in their last six meetings with West Ham, with three wins and three draws.
- Since 2021, Villa has lost only once to West Ham.
- The team has scored in every away league fixture against West Ham since 2016.
However, Aston Villa’s last win at the London Stadium was only achieved during the last season’s fixture, where they won 2-1.
Team News and Projected Line-Up
Unai Emery is likely to rotate his squad after a recent Europa League match, though he will keep the core of his team unchanged. Here’s the projected line-up in a 4-2-3-1 formation:
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Emiliano Martinez |
| Defenders | Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Pau Torres, Ian Maatsen |
| Midfielders | Boubacar Kamara, Amadou Onana |
| Forwards | Emiliano Buendia, Youri Tielemans, John McGinn |
| Striker | Ollie Watkins |
Emiliano Martinez is expected to return as the starting goalkeeper, while Matty Cash and Ezri Konsa should maintain their defensive roles. In midfield, Boubacar Kamara and Amadou Onana will likely serve as the backbone. Captain John McGinn and Youri Tielemans are anticipated to start after coming off the bench in the previous game.
Meanwhile, Ollie Watkins will continue as the primary forward for the team. Tyrone Mings and Ross Barkley remain unavailable due to injuries, and Harvey Elliott is also omitted from the squad.
