Verdict: Aston Villa win

Finest Odds: 7/10

Bookmaker: Olympusbet

In an all-Premier League showdown on Friday night time, Aston Villa will look to increase on their FA Cup journey once they welcome West Ham to the Midlands.

Aston Villa

Beginning with the hosts, making a welcomed return to successful methods final weekend as they opened the New Yr with a 2-1 victory in opposition to Leicester, Aston Villa will now be hoping to search out some latest stability. Solely signing 2024 with an action-packed 2-2 stalemate away at Brighton, Unai Emery’s males have didn’t register back-to-back Premier League victories over the previous month. Nonetheless, having fun with what has been an iconic Champions League journey and sat within the driving seat to ebook a sensational quarter-final ticket, the previous Arsenal boss has seen his squad achieve a string of plaudits. Seeking to lengthen on their FA Cup marketing campaign on Friday night time, the Villains know the significance of discovering some essential defensive metal. Together with a 3-0 drumming by the hands of Newcastle final month, Villa have recorded only a sole clear sheet from any of their earlier 9 showdowns throughout all competitions.

Aston Villa Group Information

Proven a straight crimson card away at Newcastle on Boxing Day, Colombian marksman Jhon Duran will as soon as once more miss out by way of suspension on Friday night time. Nonetheless, after serving a one-match ban in opposition to Aston Villa final weekend, former Middlesbrough teen Morgan Rogers will return to Emery’s squad right here.

With continued hypothesis over a transfer away from the Midlands this month, Jaden Philogene may very well be omitted this weekend. With Emery anticipated to make a handful of adjustments on Friday night time, the likes of Emi Buendia, Amadou Onana and summer season recruit Ian Maatsen may function from the beginning.

West Ham

As for the guests, enduring what has shortly grow to be a public disaster, West Ham discover themselves below an enormous quantity scrutiny. Signing off 2024 with an notorious 5-0 drumming at residence in opposition to Liverpool, the Hammers additionally opened the New Yr with one other nightmare defensive show. Finally blown away on the Etihad as they suffered a 4-1 loss by the hands of Manchester Metropolis, Friday’s visitors have misplaced their back-to-back Premier League showdowns by an mixture rating of 9-1. With many across the London Stadium nonetheless trying over their shoulder on the drop zone, West Ham have drastically struggled to search out any form of stability this season. But to assert back-to-back Premier League victories since opening up the 2024/25 marketing campaign, the Hammers must be bracing themselves for an additional heavyweight problem right here. Hit with a 2-1 defeat once they welcomed Villa to east London again on the opening weekend, Friday’s visitors are thought to be an actual underdog this weekend.

West Ham Group Information

Limping off in opposition to Manchester Metropolis final weekend with a reported knock, summer season recruit Jean-Clair Todibo shouldn’t be anticipated to function on Friday night time. Whereas skipper Jarrod Bowen is perhaps hoping to return from a fractured foot forward of schedule, the England worldwide will miss out at Villa Park.

Bagging a comfort strike away on the Etihad final weekend, former Borussia Dortmund striker Niclas Fullkrug will lead the road right here. Whereas there is perhaps loads of hypothesis over a transfer away from east London this month, Argentina worldwide Guido Rodriguez may very well be handed a full recall.

Aston Villa vs West Ham Key Components to Think about

• When Aston Villa and West Ham met again on August seventeenth, Emery’s males collected a 2-1 victory on the London Stadium.
• The Hammers have misplaced back-to-back Premier League appearances by an mixture rating of 9-1.
• Aston Villa are unbeaten in all of their earlier 5 home appearances on residence soil (4 victories, one draw).
• West Ham have conceded 39 objectives of their 20 Premier League appearances to date this season.
• Aston Villa have suffered only a single defeat within the Midlands because the finish of August.

Conclusion

Making a welcomed return to successful methods final weekend as they secured a 2-1 victory in opposition to Leicester, Aston Villa can be smelling one other golden alternative right here. Persevering with to shine with their performances on residence soil, Friday’s hosts can be seeking to money in on a West Ham squad who discover themselves on the coronary heart of a public disaster. Touchdown a 2-1 victory once 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

Finest Odds: 7/10

Bookmaker: Olympusbet