- West Ham lost 2-0 to Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon
- John McGinn and Ollie Watkins scored the goals for the host’s
- West Ham could have climbed out of the bottom three with a win
West Ham United failed to make the most of their opportunity to escape the relegation zone as they fell to a 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park.
The Hammers fell behind early, John McGinn with a clinical strike from an orchestrated set piece. Nuno Espirito Santo’s team pushed for an equalizer, but just as they grew into the game, Villa had their second as Ollie Watkins slotted home a rebound from Mads Hermansen.
Prior to the game, things didn’t begin the way West Ham would have liked. Nuno initially named an unchanged line-up, sticking with the back three that played against Manchester City. Unfortunately, Jean-Clair Todibo suffered an injury in the warm ups, with Freddie Potts coming in as the game plan changed.
First-half
The host’s began the game on top, with West Ham forced into some edgy defending early on.
Konstantinos Mavropanos made a superb last-ditch tackle to deny Watkins an opener after Jadon Sancho’s run on the right-hand side. Lucas Digne then had his shot tipped wide by Hermansen as the Villains continued their attacks.
Ten minutes later the host’s took the lead. Matty Cash took a short free-kick to Sancho who set up McGinn for a curled, pinpoint finish past Hermansen.
West Ham did respond. Jarrod Bowen delivering a cross for Valentin Castellanos, but he could not guide his header on target.
It didn’t take long for Aston Villa to get back in control. Amadou Onana somehow missed the target from close range after Morgan Rogers whipped in a superb cross. Watkins was then through on goal but he too couldn’t test Hermansen.
The chances kept coming for Villa. Watkins through on goal was tackled by Mavropanos and a penalty was awarded, only for it to be overruled as fairly obviously, the West Ham defender had won the ball.
Rogers was next to run at the Hammers defence, but he saw his cross blocked by Bowen. El Hadji Malick Diouf did the same as the attacks from the home side did not waver.
Just before half-time, Bowen saw his effort deflected before Hermansen turned over a powerful header from Watkins.
Second-half
With the home side having 14 shots in the first-half, something had the change and Nuno rang the changes.
Adama Traore and Callum Wilson were introduced for Castellanos and Potts.
Despite this, Villa carried on their momentum, Ross Barkley’s drive was tipped over before Cash failed to guide his volley on target from the resulting corner.
As the home side hunted for their second, West Ham were slowly growing into the game. Mavropanos clipping the ball back for Axel Disasi to head, but he could only direct it into the arms of Emiliano Martinez.
The Hammers would threaten again, Bowens counter-attack seeing his shot blocked by Pau Torres followed by Pablo Felipe forcing his effort over the bar.
West Ham were made to pay for not taking the chances they had as Aston Villa charged up the other end. Rogers shot was saved by Hermansen, but the Dane parried it straight into the path of Watkins, who beat Diouf to the ball to score the Villains second of the afternoon.
The goal effectively ended the game as the home side went in search of a third that they would not find.
Nuno’s West Ham had an off-day from minute one, and missed the opportunity to get out of the bottom three. The Irons now need to regroup and go again after the international break.
Teams
Aston Villa: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne, Onana, McGinn (Tielemans 67), Barkley (Luiz 67), Sancho (Bailey 67), Rogers (Buendia 77), Watkins (Abraham 87)
Subs not used: Bizot (GK), Bogarde, Maatsen, Mings
Goals: McGinn 15, Watkins 68
West Ham United: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka (Magassa 83), Mavropanos, Disasi, Diouf, Souček (Kanté 83), Fernandes, Potts (Adama 46) Bowen, Pablo, Taty (Wilson 46)
Subs not used: Areola (GK), Herrick (GK), Walker-Peters, Scarles, Kilman
Booked: Wan-Bissaka
Referee: Paul Tierney
Attendance: 42,130
