Fixtures
- West Ham United Vs. Aston Villa – Sat, Aug 17th 2024, 17:30
A new Premier League season for Aston Villa begins at London Stadium on Saturday with a game against West Ham United.
Following a summer schedule that saw Unai Emery’s side sharpen their skills against several quality opponents, the Villans will look to build upon a fourth-place finish last time around.
Four points from two league clashes against the Hammers helped en route to that momentous achievement, with a late goal from Nicolo Zaniolo earning a 1-1 draw in east London back in March.
West Ham enter the season with a new manager, captain and several additions to their playing squad.
Julen Lopetegui has taken over from David Moyes, while Jarrod Bowen will wear the armband.
The Hammers’ spending spree has seen Max Kilman, Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville, Luis Guilherme, Wes Foderingham, Guido Rodriguez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Jean-Clair Todibo arrive.
Stats
West Ham have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League games against Aston Villa (W6 D5), a 4-1 loss at Villa Park last season.
Aston Villa are winless in their last nine Premier League away games against West Ham (D5 L4), since a 2-1 victory at Upton Park in April 2011.
West Ham have lost on five of the six occasions they’ve begun a Premier League campaign against a side who finished in the previous season’s top four. The only exception was a 2-0 away win at Arsenal in 2015-16.
West Ham have conceded at least once in each of their last 18 Premier League games – only once have they had a longer run without a clean sheet in the competition, going 24 games between March and November 2008.
Aston Villa failed to win any of their last four Premier League games in 2023-24 (D2 L2), their longest run without a win under Unai Emery. Indeed, the Spaniard last had a longer run without a league win between May and September 2021 with Villarreal (D4 L1).
This will be Julen Lopetegui’s first game in charge of West Ham. He won his first Premier League game in charge of Wolves (2-1 v Everton), while his last victory in the competition was a home game against Aston Villa (1-0 in May 2023).
Ollie Watkins is Aston Villa’s highest-ever Premier League goalscorer in games played in London, with 13 goals in the capital so far. He has 59 overall in the competition, behind only Gabriel Abgonlahor (74) and Dwight Yorke (60) for the Villans.
The Last Meeting
Nicolò Zaniolo came off the bench to rescue a draw for Aston Villa against West Ham United at London Stadium.
The Italian stabbed home an equaliser with 11 minutes left, running on to the end of Moussa Diaby’s pull back.
The Hammers had taken a 29th-minute lead through Michail Antonio, who also saw a goal ruled out for handball minutes after the restart.
And VAR intervened once again in Villa’s favour deep in stoppage time to determine that Tomáš Souček had handled the ball over the line.
Managers’ Pre-Match Thoughts
“West Ham, two years ago, they won the Conference League and were playing consistently in Europe. They didn’t get it last year for this season, but their objective is to be trying to get the same as we got last year – to be in the top seven. This is an objective they can have. Their power as a club, with the players and coach they have, is going in this direction. I think they’re going to try to get the same as we got last year. Tomorrow is a very good match between two teams who are similar. The objective we have must be similar with the potential we have. I am very motivated and excited with the players about how we can start tomorrow.” – Unai Emery
“Aston Villa were one of the best teams in the Premier League last season, and they’re a UEFA Champions League team now. I think they have improved even more over the summer, so we have to be ready for a big challenge. Unai Emery has done a brilliant job there over the last couple of seasons, but it in the end it will be about what happens on the pitch on the day. It’s going to be hard, but at the same time we have to have belief in ourselves, and develop our work in the best way we can. We’re all looking forward to getting going.” – Julen Lopetegui
