West Ham visit Aston Villa tonight seeking to extend their three-match winning streak. Villa have made a poor start to the season after being promoted in in May. Can they use their home advantage to stop the Hammers? Here’s the Big Game Focus. Bet on the game here.
Aston Villa host West Ham United tonight aiming to register their second Premier League win of the season. Dean Smith’s side have put in some decent performances in their first four games since returning to the top flight but have just three points, which came from a 2-0 win at home to Everton. The Villains sit third from bottom and they’ll have to be on top of their game to beat a strong Hammers side.
West Ham, have recovered well from their 5-0 whipping at home to Manchester City on the opening weekend, taking seven points from their last three league games. Only Liverpool, Manchester City and Leicester City accrued more points from their opening four games, and away from home, they are unbeaten in four matches, a run that stretches back to April.
Betting preview
West Ham have lost just one league match in their last eight. They’re also unbeaten in their last four away matches in the league. Villa have lost three of their four league games this season. The hammers were winners the last time they met the hosts in the Premier League. Therefore, you can back an Away Double Chance at odds of 1.45.
West Ham have failed to score in only one of their last nine Premier League fixtures since early April. The visitors have kept just one clean sheet in their last 13 games away from home in the Premier League. Villa have kept just one clean sheet in their four league games. For that reason, you can back Both Teams to Score at odds of 1.50.
West Ham striker Sebastien Haller has made an immediate impact in the Premier League. He has scored three goals in three games. That being so, odds of 2.40 for Sebastien Haller as Anytime Goalscorer are attractive.
Team news
James Chester and Matt Targett are out injured, while Jonathon Kodjia has a head injury. All three are set to miss out on Monday. Egyptian forward Trezeguet will also be unavailable through suspension. The likes of Ahmed Elmohamady, Conor Hourihane and Anwar El Ghazi could all return to the lineup.
Winston Reid and Michail Antonio remain the only sidelined players to Manuel Pellegrini, who is unlikely to make changes to a team that won well against Norwich.
Possible-lineups
Aston Villa: Heaton, Elmohamady, Engels, Mings, Taylor; McGinn, Hourihane, Grealish; Jota, Wesley, El Ghazi.
West Ham: Fabianski; Fredericks, Diop, Ogbonna, Masuaku, Rice, Noble; Yarmolenko, Lanzini, Anderson, Haller.