West Ham United continue their 2020/21 Premier League season with the visit of Aston Villa to London Stadium on Monday evening.
The fixture will be shown live in the UK by Sky Sports, with kick-off at 8pm, and across the world by the Premier League’s international broadcast partners.
The Irons are seeking three straight Premier League wins for the first time since the final three games of the 2018/19 season, having beaten Fulham and Sheffield United in their previous two top-flight matches.
You can order a copy of the 116-page Official Programme for your collection here, while a FREE digital edition is available to read online on whufc.com from 12pm on Sunday.
A minute's applause will be held before kick-off in tribute to Argentina legend Diego Maradona, who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 60. Both teams and the match officials will wear black armbands in memory of the 1986 World Cup winner.
Team news
West Ham United manager David Moyes could welcome Michail Antonio back after a three-game absence with a hamstring injury. Moyes' only other concern is Andriy Yarmolenko, who tested positive for COVID-19 while on international duty with Ukraine earlier this month.
Aston Villa manager Dean Smith will be without striker Wesley, who has a long-term knee injury, full-back Frederic Guilbert (stomach), centre-back Bjorn Engels (thigh) and midfielder Ross Barkley (hamstring). However, strikers Bertrand Traore (knock) and Keinan Davis (muscular) and defender Kortney Hause (groin) could all be available.
The opposition - Aston Villa
When Aston Villa visited London Stadium on the final day of last season, Dean Smith and his players knew defeat could send them spiralling into the EFL Championship.
Villa returned from the COVID-19 lockdown inside the relegation zone and remained there after losing four of their first six games on the Premier League restart.
It could have been five, but Villa escaped with a goalless draw against Sheffield United, when goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland fumbled Oliver Norwood’s free-kick over his own goal line, only for neither referee Michael Oliver, nor the technology, to award the goal.
The point proved vital as Villa went on to stay up by a point ahead of AFC Bournemouth, and the Birmingham-based club has made the most of its reprieve.
Smith overhauled his squad, releasing and selling a host of fringe players, including Nyland, and bringing in a succession of big-money signings, virtually all of whom have made an instant and positive impact.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has added solidity to a back line that includes fellow new signing, right-back Matty Cash, while on-loan Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley has enjoyed his new lease of life in Claret and Blue, striker Ollie Watkins has been in outstanding form following his summer switch from Brentford.
The form of Villa’s England international duo, defender Tyrone Mings and attacking midfielder Jack Grealish, has also been superb, leading to a sensational start to the 2020/21 campaign.
Villa have already beaten Fulham, Leicester City and Arsenal on the road this season, in addition to a 1-0 win over Sheffield United and 7-2 thrashing of Liverpool at Villa Park.
The nerves and anxiety Villa were experiencing at London Stadium back in July have been replaced by confidence and optimism this time around.
Previous meetings
West Ham United and Aston Villa meet in the Premier League for the 43rd time on Monday evening.
The visitors have had the best of things by far down the years, winning 13 of the 42 meetings, while the Hammers have won nine, with 20 draws.
Villa have won on just four of their 21 Premier League visits to east London and drew 1-1 on their only previous trip to London Stadium in July this year.
The Irons have won six and drawn eleven of their 21 home fixtures with Villa, and are unbeaten in their last five home meetings with tonight’s opponents dating back to April 2011.
David Moyes has faced Aston Villa 26 times during his managerial career, winning eight, drawing 12 and losing six. Moyes has not lost any of his last eight meetings with Aston Villa.
By the numbers
18 Vic Watson scored a record 18 goals against Aston Villa in just 15 career appearances for West Ham United. The Hammers’ all-time leading scorer netted in ten of those 15 matches, including hat-tricks in a 5-1 First Division win at the Boleyn Ground on 13 November 1926, a 5-2 First Division home win on 21 December 1929 and a 3-2 win at Villa Park on 26 April 1930..
3 West Ham United great Frank McAvennie made three Premier League appearances for Aston Villa during the first season of the competition, 1992/93. The Scot came on as a substitute for Dwight Yorke (twice) and Cyrille Regis in games against Southampton, Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Villa Park, before joining Northern Irish club Cliftonville. McAvennie had earlier made his second West Ham ‘debut’ against Villa on 25 March 1989, having re-joined the Hammers from Scottish club Celtic.
7-2 West Ham United scored their biggest-ever Football League or Premier League win over Aston Villa on 30 August 1958, when Ted Fenton’s Irons ran out 7-2 victors at the Boleyn Ground. The Hammers had only been promoted the previous season, while Villa had finished 14th in the top-flight, but Eric Houghton’s visitors were no match for Fenton’s hosts. A 30,363-strong crowd saw Vic Keeble, John Dick and Malcolm Musgrove each score twice, while Bill Lansdowne was also on target.
24 The number of appearances Aston Villa midfielder Henri Lansbury made for West Ham United during the promotion-winning 2011/12 season. Lansbury scored on his debut in a 4-3 win over Portsmouth at the Boleyn Ground on 10 September 2011. He also appeared as a substitute goalkeeper after Robert Green had been sent-off in the 4-1 victory at Blackpool on 21 February 2012.
43 Robert Snodgrass appeared 43 times for Aston Villa on loan from West Ham United during the 2017/18 season. The Scottish midfielder scored eight goals and registered 13 assists to help Villa reach the Championship Play-Off final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Fulham at Wembley Stadium.
17 Among the 17 West Ham United players who made their debuts for the Irons against Aston Villa were Alvin Martin (March 1978), Carlos Tevez (September 2006), Matthew Upson (February 2007), Winston Reid (August 2010) and Mohamed Diame (August 2012).
28 The following 28 players have been on the books of both West Ham United and Aston Villa:
Vincent Blore, William Askew, John Carew, Franz Carr, Gary Charles, Carlton Cole, Joe Cole, James Collins, Alan Curbishley, Mervyn Day, Stewart Downing, Marlon Harewood, Ray Houghton, Thomas Hitzlsperger, David James, Robbie Keane, Henri Lansbury, Frank McAvennie, Fred Norris, Nigel Reo-Coker, Carlos Sanchez, Tony Scott, Les Sealey, Robert Snodgrass, Nolberto Solano, Tommy Southren, David Unsworth and Phil Woosnam.
Match officials
Referee: Peter Bankes
Assistant Referees: Neil Davies and James Mainwaring
Fourth Official: Anthony Taylor
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Assistant VAR: Stephen Child
Peter Bankes takes charge of a West Ham United fixture for just the second time in his career on Monday night.
Bankes’ only previous Hammers appointment came in September 2015, when he was the man in the middle for the 2-1 extra-time defeat at Leicester City.
The 38-year-old was promoted to Select Group 1 ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, having previously served as an assistant referee in the Premier League for two seasons.
Bankes refereed eleven Premier League matches last season, including Aston Villa’s 2-0 defeat at Sheffield United in December last year.
Liverpool-based Bankes worked as an accounts manager alongside his refereeing career, which began as long ago as September 1996.
He became a full-time professional referee in 2016, when he joined Select Group 2.
Bankes will be assisted on Monday by the experienced Neil Davies, who ran the line in 30 Premier League fixtures last season, and James Mainwaring, who was promoted to Select Group 1 for the 2020/21 season.
