Aston Villa and West Ham United face off for the second time this January, with the Premier League clash set to take place at Villa Park on Sunday. After Villa’s FA Cup victory over the Hammers earlier this month, Graham Potter’s side will be seeking revenge while also hoping to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Crystal Palace.
Match Details
- Location: Villa Park, Birmingham, England
- Date: Sunday, January 26, 2025
- Kick-off Time: 16:30 GMT / 11:30 ET / 08:30 PT
- Referee: Peter Bankes
- VAR: Paul Tierney
Recent Form
Aston Villa (Last 5 Games in All Competitions):
- Loss: Monaco 1-0 Aston Villa (21/01/25)
- Draw: Arsenal 2-2 Aston Villa (18/01/25)
- Win: Everton 0-1 Aston Villa (15/01/25)
- Win: Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham (10/01/25, FA Cup)
- Win: Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester (04/01/25)
West Ham (Last 5 Games in All Competitions):
- Loss: West Ham 0-2 Crystal Palace (18/01/25)
- Win: West Ham 3-2 Fulham (14/01/25)
- Loss: Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham (10/01/25, FA Cup)
- Loss: Manchester City 4-1 West Ham (04/01/25)
- Loss: West Ham 0-5 Liverpool (29/12/24)
Team News
Aston Villa:
Villa face a few injury concerns heading into Sunday’s match. Amadou Onana is doubtful after sustaining a hamstring injury against Arsenal, while Ross Barkley and Pau Torres remain sidelined. John McGinn is nearing a return but may not be ready for this fixture.
Villa’s center-back pairing will likely consist of Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings, with Diego Carlos no longer part of the squad.
Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1):
Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Kamara, Tielemans; Bailey, Rogers, Ramsey; Watkins.
West Ham:
The Hammers are short on attacking options. Jarrod Bowen could return after rejoining training, but Crysencio Summerville is still out, along with Michail Antonio and Niclas Fullkrug. In defense, Konstantinos Mavropanos is suspended, while Jean-Clair Todibo is unlikely to feature.
Predicted Lineup (3-4-2-1):
Fabianski; Wan-Bissaka, Kilman, Cresswell; Coufal, Alvarez, Rodriguez, Emerson; Paqueta, Soucek; Kudus.
Head-to-Head Record (Last 5 Meetings):
- Aston Villa Wins: 3
- West Ham Wins: 0
- Draws: 2
Last Meeting: Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham (10 January 2025, FA Cup)
Prediction
West Ham’s lackluster performance against Crystal Palace last weekend, combined with their ongoing struggles in attack, suggests they could find it difficult to break down Villa’s defense. Meanwhile, Unai Emery’s side boasts a dynamic forward line that should exploit the Hammers’ vulnerabilities on the counterattack.
Despite Villa’s midweek loss to Monaco, they remain in strong form domestically and should have enough to secure their third win over West Ham this season.
Prediction: Aston Villa 2-0 West Ham
Key Players to Watch
- Aston Villa: Ollie Watkins, Leon Bailey, Youri Tielemans
- West Ham: Mohammed Kudus, Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek
Villa’s creativity and clinical edge could prove too much for a struggling West Ham side. Expect the hosts to continue their push up the Premier League table with a comfortable victory.
