Aston Villa 4-1 West Ham United
Premier League, Villa Park, Sunday 22 October 2023, 4.30pm BST

West Ham United fell to a 4-1 defeat by Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

Douglas Luiz’s double set the Villans on their way, striking low past Alphonse Areola to open the scoring on the half-hour, before doubling both his and his team’s tally from the spot early in the second period.

Jarrod Bowen’s deflected strike – scoring in a fifth consecutive Premier League away game – gave the Hammers hope, only for Villa to run away with the contest with two goals in the final 16 minutes.

First Ollie Watkins finished superbly from a tight angle before Leon Bailey completed an ultimately comprehensive victory for Unai Emery’s team in the final minute.

West Ham were harrying Villa’s defenders in possession early, but it was Areola who was called upon to make the first save of the contest – and it was a magnificent one too, as he dived high to his left to claw away Douglas Luiz’s curling, goalbound effort with 12 minutes played.

At the other end two minutes later, Emiliano Martínez dropped down to his left to gather a Bowen shot after the No20 opted to take the effort on early when collecting a throw-in from Vladimír Coufal.

Villa’s Watkins really should have given his side the lead with 16 minutes on the clock when he received a pass from Moussa Diaby eight yards from goal, span and dragged his shot wide of the mark.

The home side were really pressing by now and they moved in front on the half hour. Watkins got the move started with a direct run into the left channel. He waited for reinforcements to arrive and, after exchanging passes with Nicolò Zaniolo, laid off for Douglas Luiz on the edge of the box. Areola would likely have had his fierce, low drive covered had it not been for an unfortunate nick off Nayef Aguerd’s heel and Villa led 1-0.

Villa were the dominant team of the first half and merited their lead, but the Hammers had a chance to level on 42 minutes when they recycled a half-cleared Coufal long throw back into the box and Lucas Paquetá hooked wide from close in, when he probably had more time than he thought.

The Irons might have been heartened by the way they finished the opening period, but their task was made all the harder six minutes after the restart.

They got the first ball clear from a Villa corner, but Paquetá’s pass back to Edson Álvarez was loose, and Ezri Konsa took advantage by stealing in and going down under the No19’s challenge.

Douglas Luiz made no mistake from the spot, finishing down the middle as Areola dived to his right.

West Ham were handed an immediate lifeline, though, as Bowen rifled in a shot from outside the box that took a wicked deflection off Pau Torres and spun away from goalkeeper Emi Martínez and into the bottom left corner.

Villa were shaken and Matty Cash had to throw himself in front of Aguerd’s acrobatic shot as they struggled to clear a James Ward-Prowse corner.

The visitors introduced Mohammed Kudus from the bench and their tails were up as they sought a leveller, but Villa killed the game with a quick break 16 minutes from time.

John McGinn played a ball down the side for Watkins to dash on to, and he slowed it down before speeding it up to buy the half-yard to shoot against Kurt Zouma, taking the opportunity with aplomb high into Areola’s net.

With the Hammers committed in pursuit of the game, the home side were able to add a fourth in the final minute as sub Bailey twisted inside the area and placed the ball beyond Areola’s reach into the top left corner.

Aston Villa: Martínez, Cash, Konsa, Pau, Digne, Douglas Luiz, Kamara, McGinn ©, Zaniolo (Bailey 76), Diaby (Tielemans 85), Watkins
Subs: Olsen (GK), Diego Carlos, Chambers, Lenglet, Dendoncker, Kellyman, Traoré

Goals: Douglas Luiz 30, pen 51, Watkins 74, Bailey 89

West Ham United: Areola, Coufal, Zouma ©, Aguerd, Emerson, Álvarez, Souček (Kudus 67), Ward-Prowse, Bowen, Paquetá (Ings 86), Antonio (Fornals 90)
Subs: Fabiański (GK), Kehrer, Mavropanos, Ogbonna, Benrahma, Mubama

Goal: Bowen 56

Booked: Emerson

Referee: David Coote

Attendance: 41,734