Verdict: Aston Villa win
Best Odds: 7/10
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
In an all-Premier League showdown on Friday night, Aston Villa will look to extend on their FA Cup adventure when they welcome West Ham to the Midlands.
Aston Villa
Starting with the hosts, making a welcomed return to winning ways last weekend as they opened the New Year with a 2-1 victory against Leicester, Aston Villa will now be hoping to find some recent stability. Only signing 2024 with an action-packed 2-2 stalemate away at Brighton, Unai Emery’s men have failed to register back-to-back Premier League victories over the past month. However, enjoying what has been an iconic Champions League adventure and sat in the driving seat to book a sensational quarter-final ticket, the former Arsenal boss has seen his squad gain a string of plaudits. Looking to extend on their FA Cup campaign on Friday night, the Villains know the importance of finding some crucial defensive steel. Including a 3-0 drumming at the hands of Newcastle last month, Villa have recorded just a sole clean sheet from any of their previous nine showdowns across all competitions.
Aston Villa Team News
Shown a straight red card away at Newcastle on Boxing Day, Colombian marksman Jhon Duran will once again miss out through suspension on Friday night. However, after serving a one-match ban against Aston Villa last weekend, former Middlesbrough youngster Morgan Rogers will return to Emery’s squad here.
With continued speculation over a move away from the Midlands this month, Jaden Philogene could be omitted this weekend. With Emery expected to make a handful of changes on Friday night, the likes of Emi Buendia, Amadou Onana and summer recruit Ian Maatsen could feature from the start.
West Ham
As for the visitors, enduring what has quickly become a public crisis, West Ham find themselves under a huge amount scrutiny. Signing off 2024 with an infamous 5-0 drumming at home against Liverpool, the Hammers also opened the New Year with another nightmare defensive display. Eventually blown away at the Etihad as they suffered a 4-1 loss at the hands of Manchester City, Friday’s guests have lost their back-to-back Premier League showdowns by an aggregate score of 9-1. With many around the London Stadium still looking over their shoulder at the drop zone, West Ham have drastically struggled to find any kind of stability this season. Yet to claim back-to-back Premier League victories since opening up the 2024/25 campaign, the Hammers should be bracing themselves for another heavyweight challenge here. Hit with a 2-1 defeat when they welcomed Villa to east London back on the opening weekend, Friday’s guests are regarded as a real underdog this weekend.
West Ham Team News
Limping off against Manchester City last weekend with a reported knock, summer recruit Jean-Clair Todibo is not expected to feature on Friday night. While skipper Jarrod Bowen might be hoping to return from a fractured foot ahead of schedule, the England international will miss out at Villa Park.
Bagging a consolation strike away at the Etihad last weekend, former Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Fullkrug will lead the line here. While there might be plenty of speculation over a move away from east London this month, Argentina international Guido Rodriguez could be handed a full recall.
Aston Villa vs West Ham Key Factors to Consider
- When Aston Villa and West Ham met back on August 17th, Emery’s men collected a 2-1 victory at the London Stadium.
- The Hammers have lost back-to-back Premier League appearances by an aggregate score of 9-1.
- Aston Villa are unbeaten in all of their previous five domestic appearances on home soil (four victories, one draw).
- West Ham have conceded 39 goals in their 20 Premier League appearances so far this season.
- Aston Villa have suffered just a single defeat in the Midlands since the end of August.
Conclusion
Making a welcomed return to winning ways last weekend as they secured a 2-1 victory against Leicester, Aston Villa will be smelling another golden opportunity here. Continuing to shine with their performances on home soil, Friday’s hosts will be looking to cash in on a West Ham squad who find themselves at the heart of a public crisis. Landing a 2-1 victory when they travelled to east London on the opening weekend, Emery’s camp are rightfully pencilled in as a standout contender this weekend.
Verdict: Aston Villa win
Best Odds: 7/10
Bookmaker: Olympusbet
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