Unai Emery has brought life back into Aston Villa over three months since his appointment, following a woeful start under Steven Gerrard.
Since Unai Emery’s first game in charge of Aston Villa, only Premier League leaders Arsenal and Manchester United have picked up more wins than the claret and blue side.
It has been a bright start for the Spaniard, Villa have won five league games out of eight since his arrival – including wins against top four candidates Manchester United and Tottenham.
Emery’s unique system, which often sees typically central players like John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey play out wide, has made Villa a much bigger threat in front of goal. Since the beginning of his tenure, Villa rank fifth in goals scored (14). In comparison to the opening 11 league games of the season under Steven Gerrard, the club managed to score just seven goals – only fellow West Midlands club Wolves managed fewer (five).
The increase in the goal-scoring form heavily comes down to improvement Ollie Watkins has shown since the sacking of Steven Gerrard. The striker has scored five and assisted two in his last ten starts. In the opening 12 games of the season under Gerrard, Watkins had registered just one goal.
Douglas Luiz is another player who has been contributing a lot more going forward since playing in a slightly more advanced role. The Brazilian has registered one goal and three assists in his last seven league appearances. The midfielder has begun developing a strong partnership with Boubacar Kamara, with Luiz taking a playmaker role and Kamara excelling in breaking up play.
Despite currently ranking 11th for goals conceded in the league under Emery (11), Villa fans can expect a more well-balanced side given time under the new manager. In Emery’s most recent full season with Villarreal, the Spanish club ranked fourth in La Liga for goals scored (63) and goals conceded (37), despite finishing seventh that season.
Playing out from the back has often been an issue for Villa. In their most recent match against Leicester, Kamara getting caught out in the final third allowed Maddison an easy finish for their first goal of the game. This style of play will take time for the players to master but will pay off in the long-run. The return of Diego Carlos in the coming months will no doubt be of use to Emery and this way of playing. In his most recent full season with Sevilla, the Brazilian had an impressive pass completion rate of 87.3%, ranking in the top 20% of centre-backs across Europe. His return could see the Villans conceding much fewer goals.
The club will face top scorers Manchester City at the Etihad and second top scorers Arsenal at home in their next two fixtures – both games where the defence will have a lot to prove.
Aston Villa are currently sat 11th in the table, five points off seventh – so where could we expect them to finish?
Despite being within reach of the top seven after several good results under their new manager, a charge for Europe is likely too soon for the West Midlands side.
Alex Moreno and Jhon Durán have been two smart additions to Emery’s team. The recall of Bertrand Traore also adds further depth in the attacking options. However, they have also seen several outgoings, including the club’s top scorer Danny Ings. The sale of Ings was more than likely a wise financial decision for Villa to recoup some of the money from the £25million signing.
With clubs often being reluctant to sell over the January window, it is likely Emery will look to improve his side over the summer and start looking further up the table towards the European places next season.
Despite failing to achieve a cup-run due to a shock defeat to League Two side Stevenage and a 4-2 loss to Man United, a top-half finish in the league would still be a credible achievement for Emery – a finish which the club haven’t seen for over a decade. This would set a strong foundation for him and his staff to build on and help attract more top names to the club.
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Credit: Aston Villa FC
Aston Villa begin life under the management of Unai Emery this Sunday, as they welcome an in-form Manchester United side to Villa Park.
The former Villareal and Arsenal head coach’s time in the West Midlands is certainly set to start off with a tough fixture. The Red Devils have remained unbeaten for over a month, their last loss coming in a 6-3 thrashing to local rivals Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Villa, on the other hand, find themselves in a precarious position, sitting 16th in the Premier League table and having won just one of their last six games. In this period they have scored five goals while conceded ten.
A victory in Sunday’s fixture would be the perfect beginning for Emery’s tenure, and could see the Villains begin to get some confidence back in their play.
Home. ? @UnaiEmery_ pic.twitter.com/qH8kNpeUU2
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) November 4, 2022
Team News
Emery has confirmed that summer signings Ludwig Augustinsson and Boubacar Kamara could be set to return from their recent injury woes.
Kamara, 22, has been sidelined since early September with a knee injury. The French international has previously been linked with a move to United in his playing days at Marseille.
Augustinsson, a loanee from La Liga side Sevilla, has suffered with a hamstring issue for the past month, after pulling up against Leeds on his debut back in October.
Emery told Birmingham Live: “My players have been doing training sessions this week.
“Ludwig Augustinsson and Boubacar Kamara, I think they will be close to playing but I don’t know exactly the first XI to start the match.”
Brazilian defender Diego Carlos remains out for the forseeable future, after rupturing his achilles tendon in a 2-1 win over Frank Lampard’s Everton. The 29-year-old is expected back before the end of the season.
Predicted Lineup
Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martínez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Luis, McGinn; Watkins, Coutinho, Bailey; Ings
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]]>Following on from the prior two articles, covering the defensive and midfield positions, here are some options that Huddersfield Town, should and could look at in this summer window.
Luke Jephcott
Starting the list off with the only permanent signing that features on this list is Luke Jephcott. Last year the Welshman had a host of clubs looking at him after an impressive season in League One with Plymouth Argyle, scoring 16 times.
The 22-year-old’s name was thrown into the picture for the Terriers too last year, with some suggesting that the club was interested in him, although this was denied by the Huddersfield Examiner.
On face value, it makes sense for Huddersfield to try to tempt the Argyle man away from Home Park. Whilst Danny Ward has had an incredible rise back to form this season scoring 15 times, he isn’t getting any younger at 31 years old. Partner this with an ever-aging Jordan Rhodes, and there is that need for a young, hungry striker to become the new spearhead of the Huddersfield attack.
With 10 goals and a further four assists, Jephcott could just be the man to take that role and take Huddersfield’s attacking output to another level. If learning from Rhodes and Ward too, it can only help take the young striker to a new level.
James McAtee
Without a doubt, the most exciting name on this list. James McAtee has been so highly spoken of by fans of the Citizens, and Premier League 2 enjoyers alike. With a swarm of Premier League and Championship clubs vying for the winger’s signature, the Terriers have a task on their hands.
Rumours of the switch reached their peak almost a week and a half ago now, and have seemingly gone a bit quiet now, after sources said that the youngster would be given permission to speak to Carlos Corberán upon finishing his England U-21 international duty.
Huddersfield are needing a player like McAtee. Someone versatile to fit a number of systems that the Terriers switch between, and with the ability to play wide or through the middle, the possibilities are endless.
Pair this with the technical ability that the City EDS graduate possesses, and you very quickly have a very, very dangerous weapon in your armoury. With 25 contributions in 23 games in the PL2, it only furthers the reasoning as to why the club should rightly look at finalising the deal.
Cameron Archer
There is little that needs to be said about Cameron Archer and the Championship. An exceptional spell in the lily-white colours of Preston North End, rose eyebrows for many of the clubs in the Championship if not even some of the Premier League clubs too.
It’s already been said in this article, but Huddersfield could use another striker. Archer has that quality and talent already there, with a raw aspect to his game to score goals that you would struggle to find in others.
With seven goals in 20 appearances for the Lilywhites, if given a full season, this tally would likely only increase to a potential 15-goal season for the striker. If not more, something which has been a rarity for Huddersfield fans to see, in recent years.
Again, Huddersfield would have to fight off suitors for the player, but if given the assurances, that he quite rightly would deserve, of being the starting striker for the club. It can only serve as a motivator to change from claret and blue to blue and white. If only for just a season.
Faustino Anjorin
This one is a tricky one, after spending the second half of the season with the Terriers following his spell in Russia. Anjorin never really pushed on and seemed early on like there was a small chance of him playing a major part in the plans at the club for a multitude of reasons.
Coming to the club off the back of a long-term injury and seemingly struggling to find fitness, it never really seemed like it was the right time for the winger to shine. Yet, everyone around the club could tell there was a player there, somewhere.
With only one contribution in his spell at the club, it leaves a lot to be desired, but combine this with the lack of minutes that he had. You can’t expect too much at all. That being said though, he showed qualities of a direct and confident player that could and would go at teams, which barring Sorba Thomas the side lacked.
It again would be a risk to bring him back to the club, and how his spell went, would be dependent on his fitness and sharpness levels. Something that must improve, if he were to see another spell in West Yorkshire or even the Championship alone.
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After being named in the England Under 21’s squad for the first time, Aston Villa’s Cameron Archer and manager Steven Gerrard will have a decision to make ahead of this summer’s transfer window.
Archer has been highly rated for some time within the Villa ranks, and many fans have been calling for him to be involved in the first team in the near future.
But some fans sit on the other side of the fence, believing a full season out on loan in the second division would benefit the young forward greatly.
He spent the second half of last campaign on loan at Championship side Preston North End under a manager who has a close relationship with Steven Gerrard in Ryan Lowe.
A fellow scouser, Lowe has indicated a few times how his relationship with his long-term friend was a benefit in securing a deal for Archer last term and how he hopes a deal can be agreed to see the youngster return to Deepdale for another year.
After joining in late January following the arrival of Ryan Lowe at the turn of the year, Archer made an instant impact, scoring on his debut against Villa’s rivals West Brom, a moment which would’ve felt even sweeter for the boyhood Villa fan.
With Aston Villa being linked with some huge names in the transfer window, including Gerrard’s former Liverpool teammate Luis Suarez, the signing of a striker would make sense to then allow Archer another 12 months out on loan to pick up some invaluable experience and be given the opportunity to hit double figures for the season.
Archer went on to score seven goals in what was a decent return in his first spell of Championship football, including getting ‘goal of the season after writing his name into Preston North End folklore with a goal against arch-rivals Blackpool back in April.
The left-footed strike meant Archer joined the list of many people held as Preston North End legends who ‘put the ball in the Blackpool net, something Archer highlighted as his favourite moment during his time in Lancashire.
Towards the end of the season, the former Solihull Moors man also began to really link up with Preston forward Emil Riis. The two struck a real partnership towards the back end of the campaign, with North End scoring seven goals in the final two games and Archer linking up play brilliantly as Riis got a brace on the final day in a 4-1 win over Middlesborough.
‘Lancs Live’ revealed last week that Archer remained North End’s main priority ahead of the window which opens on June 10, and Ryan Lowe told towards the end of the season that Archer had said if he was to be allowed out on loan again in 22/23, Preston would be the place he would prefer to come.
After the striker became an instant fan’s favourite, the Lancashire side appears to be a club on the up ahead of the new season. They’ve seen a surge in season ticket sales after putting on a brilliant deal to benefit the supporters, and a signing like Archer could boost those sales even more.
With on paper, arguably one of the best midfields in the league, a strike force of Emil Riis and Cameron Archer could set the Lilywhites up for a very successful 2022/23.
Whether Aston Villa and Steven Gerrard choose to remain hold of Archer and use him as a spare part in their Premier League side next year remains to be seen, but it’s been made very clear by Preston officials that they feel it is best for Cameron’s development to see him have another successful year at Championship level before he is completely ready to make the step up to the top division.
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]]>A dominant first-half display earned Wolverhampton Wanderers a deserved 2-1 derby win against Aston Villa, boosting their chances of playing in Europe next season. So let’s take a look at five things we learnt from this West Midlands derby.
1. Villa’s defensive woes continue
Aston Villa have taken just four points from a possible 39 against teams above them in the league this season and this is mainly because of their defensive fragilities.
Since Gerrard’s appointment, the Villans have improved, but have remained shaky at the back. Throughout this contest, the Wolves frontline, which consisted of Fabio Silva, Daniel Podence and Francisco Trincão, ran riot.
In the build-up to Jonny’s goal, there were multiple defensive errors from Gerrard’s men. John McGinn slipped to allow Joao Moutinho to advance forward and Ezri Konsa slipped when trying to block a pass from Podence.
Following some chaotic defending from McGinn and Lucas Digne, the ball eventually found its way to Jonny, who rifled the ball into the top corner from 12 yards. Minutes later and Bruno Lage’s men threatened again. England international Tyrone Mings was robbed of possession by Silva, but the teenager couldn’t find the back of the net.
The hosts grabbed a second just before the break and this was yet another avoidable goal from Villa’s perspective. Brazilian fullback Marcal wasn’t closed down quickly enough and he delivered an inviting cross deep into the box. After some pressure from Trincão, Ashley Young headed the ball into his own net.
The visitors were better in the second half and did grab a goal late on, however, the game should have been beyond reach before that point, with Silva and Leander Dendoncker both missing clear-cut opportunities. Villa cannot afford to be as open in the coming weeks with Gerrard’s men facing Spurs and Leicester City in their next two games.
2. Man of the match Jonny on target for the second game in a row
Jonny Castro Otto has recently made his comeback from a knee injury, which kept him out for ten months. The Spaniard had been in involved in full training since January but was yet to feature in a Premier League game.
Injuries to Nelson Semedo and Ki-Jana Hoever have forced Jonny to be thrown immediately back into the starting lineup. However, the fullback has impressed and got himself on the scoresheet in consecutive games having found the back of the net in the 3-2 defeat to Leeds before the international break.
The 28-year-old had not scored a goal for Wolves in 13 matches and is not known for his attacking qualities, however, he has now scored two in his last two games. Against Leeds it was an accurate strike, which found the back of the net, but in this match, it was a thunderous strike that nestled into the top corner.
Under Lage, Jonny has found himself in much more advanced positions compared to Nuno Espirito Santo’s reign where he rarely got himself in attacking positions and this may be the reason for his sudden increase in attacking output.
Throughout the game, the defender was extremely composed and dealt with all of Villa’s attacks, which came down his side. Consequently, the away side switched the ball to the opposite flank to test Marcal, who isn’t as strong defensively. Jonny almost got himself an assist when his long ball upfield found Silva, who saw his effort saved by Martinez. A vintage performance from Jonny, who was deservedly picked as man of the match.
3. Fabio Silva on form in Jimenez’s absence
Fabio Silva is yet to score in the Premier League this season, however, this is mainly because of his lack of game time. With first-choice striker Raul Jimenez suspended, Silva is set for a run in Lage’s side.
In the derby, Silva put in a complete performance and has been heavily praised by fans after causing problems for Villa centre-backs Konsa and Mings all afternoon. The only thing missing from the striker’s performance was a goal.
The teenager should have put Wolves 2-0 up in the first half after he latched on to Jonny’s long ball. One on one with the keeper, the Portuguese striker was unable to find the back of the net with Martinez coming out on top on this occasion.
During the second half, the 19-year-old tested the Villa keeper again. Silva unleashed a shot, which was destined for the top corner, but Martinez made a finger-tip save to keep the visitors in the game. Although the striker’s goal drought was extended in this game, there were many encouraging signs, which show that Silva is getting better with every game and is benefiting from increased game time.
Throughout the contest, Silva found pockets of space and linked up well with Podence and Trincao, who started the game on either side of him. Silva, who signed for a club-record £35.6m, was a constant threat in behind the Villa backline, which made the visitors drop deeper. He worked tirelessly all afternoon and his impressive work rate on and off the ball will likely earn him a start against Newcastle United.
4. Dendoncker’s performance goes under the radar
Leander Dendoncker put in a tremendous performance in the West Midlands Derby, however, his performance may have gone under the radar due to the Wolves frontline grabbing all of the headlines. Dendoncker, who has come under criticism at times this season, ran the show in the midfield alongside the experienced Moutinho.
Bruno Lage’s side had full control of the game and this was mainly because of Wolves winning the midfield battle. The Belgium international won possession for his side on countless occasions and made many crucial interceptions and blocks.
In addition to his disciplined defensive performance, he also ventured forward into more advanced positions causing the vulnerable Villa backline further problems. The 26-year-old should have got himself a goal when he was found by Podence late in the first half.
The winger saw Dendoncker’s overlapping run and slipped him in behind the Villa defence, but on his weaker left foot, the midfielder was unable to hit the target. Minutes later and there was another goal-scoring opportunity for Dendoncker, who was free in acres of space on the edge of the box. However, this time it was his own teammate who denied him, as Trincao diverted the ball away from him with a loose touch.
With Ruben Neves sidelined, many expected Wolves to lose the midfield battle, but this wasn’t the case. Phillipe Coutinho, who has settled in with ease at his new club, had no impact on the game at all and this was because of Dendoncker almost man-marking the Brazilian playmaker. Buendia was introduced in the second half, but like Coutinho, he had little impact on the game and this was because of Dendoncker’s brilliant defensive display.
5. Wolves have it all to play for unlike their rivals
This defeat means Villa now have nothing to play for in their remaining eight league matches. They are now 13 points behind Wolves, who have boosted their European hopes with this victory. The hosts have now piled the pressure on those above them in the race for Europe, while Villa drop below ninth-placed Leicester City.
After the game, Villa boss Steven Gerrard warned his players that they are playing for their futures and admitted that he was unhappy with the way his side performed in the first half.
“We’re looking like a 45-minute team and that’s on me – we gifted Wolves two goals. I’ve got to fix it and I will fix it.The players in the building have to help me fix it now. If not, we will get players in who will help me fix it.”
Meanwhile, Bruno Lage was happy with the performance from his team but believes that they need to learn to kill games off.
“I’m happy because we won. We played the way we wanted to play. The game plan was perfect.We need that mentality to kill the game, score the third goal and not to give hope to the opponent.”
Lage’s men had lost four of their previous six Premier League games before their win in the West Midlands Derby, but this victory has resurrected their European hopes. Wolves are just two points off West Ham, who are in fifth, but both Manchester United and Spurs have a game in hand.
Lage’s side are on course to secure European football for the second time in four years and if they finish the season in seventh they will qualify for next season’s Europa Conference League as long as Crystal Palace do not win the FA Cup.
If the Eagles do go on to lift the trophy, then they will play in Europe and Wolves will miss out if they finish seventh in the league.
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]]>After a disappointing 3-2 defeat against Leeds United just before the international break, Wolverhampton Wanderers are looking to get back to winning ways as they host rivals Aston Villa at Molineux.
Wolves came from behind in the reverse fixture to grab all three points at Villa Park in a 3-2 thriller. At the time, Dean Smith was in the dugout for Villa, however he has since been replaced by Steven Gerrard. Although the Claret and Blue look destined for a mid-table finish, Gerrard will be looking to secure all three points in his first-ever West Midlands derby.
However, the visitors know that they will have to be at their very best to come away with all three points in this derby, with Villa winning just one of the last five meetings between the two sides.
Recent Form
Bruno Lage’s side have won just two of their last five Premier League games, meaning they have lost ground in the race for Europe. After picking up six points out of a possible 15, the hosts are in desperate need of a win in order to close the gap to seventh-placed West Ham United.
The hosts were in complete control at halftime during the encounter with Leeds United. Goals from Jonny and Francisco Trincão gave them a comfortable 2-0 lead, but the momentum in the game changed when Raul Jimenez was controversially sent off. The Mexican was dismissed for a second bookable offence following a collision with keeper Illan Meslier, which sparked a Leeds comeback. The home side conceded three goals in 27 minutes and left the Molineux empty-handed.
Steven Gerrard’s side are just one place below Wolves in the league, however they are separated by a significant ten points. A home win would mean it is likely the Villa finish below Wolves in the league, and this would be for the second time in three years.
The Villans have picked up three more points compared to Wolves in their last five games, but have lost their last two, with those defeats coming against West Ham and Arsenal. However, Villa were impressive in their encounter with the Gunners and many will argue they deserved at least a point, with Bukayo Saka’s superb strike being the only goal in the game.
Team News
Wolves will be without their top scorer Jimenez, who is suspended. Teenager Fabio Silva, who got on the scoresheet for Portugal U21s, is expected to come into the side in Jimenez’s absence. Versatile forward Hwang Hee-Chan is also in contention to lead the line for the home side.
Portuguese playmaker Ruben Neves is a doubt for this fixture after he limped off in the first half against Leeds before the international break. His Portuguese teammate Nelson Semedo will likely miss out after picking up a hamstring injury during Wolves’ 2-1 defeat against Arsenal. Due to these injuries, Lage will be forced to switch to a 3-4-3 formation with Leander Dendoncker partnering Joao Moutinho in central midfield and wing-back Jonny keeping his place in the side.
With the international break over, Gerrard will be hopeful of welcoming some of his players back who have been out with injuries. Lucas Digne looks set to return after a hamstring scare against the Hammers. The Frenchman was replaced ten minutes into the clash against West Ham, although this was merely a precaution. The fullback played the full 90 minutes for France in their 5-0 win against South Africa.
It is unlikely Marvelous Nakamba or Kortney Hause will be fit enough for this fixture with the pair recovering from knee and abdominal injuries respectively. After their impressive performance against Arsenal, Gerrard may be tempted to name an unchanged side for this clash.
Predicted Lineups:
Wolverhampton Wanderers: (3-4-3) Sa; Kilman, Coady, Saiss; Jonny Dendoncker, Moutinho, Ait-Nouri; Podence, Silva, Hwang-Hee Chan
Aston Villa: (4-1-2-1-2) Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Mings, Digne; Luiz; McGinn, Ramsey; Coutinho; Ings, Watkins
The Managers
Bruno Lage
The Wolves boss admits he is unsure about how the visitors will lineup in this match and believes this encounter will be a big challenge for his side.
“They’ve changed their system. Gerrard comes with a different idea. I watched some games from Rangers two years ago (against Porto and Benfica) and the ideas were there. Bit different (at Villa), our first time against a system like that. Big challenge.”
Steven Gerrard
Gerrard on the other hand has stressed the importance of securing the three points in the derby with the aim of reducing the gap between the two sides.
“It’s an opportunity to claw some points back, so it’s a big game for us. We know it’s going to be a tough challenge; they have been more consistent than us during the league campaign so far. This is a huge derby for us, we want games to have that extra buzz and special edge, so we want to give performance that represents our support in a right way.”
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]]>After initial celebrations of another three points in the Premier League had dampened in East London, West Ham fans would have spoken nervously after seeing Michail Antonio and Aaron Cresswell depart through injury.
Two of the Hammers’ most important players, Antonio and Cresswell, will be crucial to any attempt to gain European football again next season, starting with West Ham’s Europa League round of 32 second leg against Sevilla on Thursday.
David Moyes’ lack of squad options could be ultimately costing his side injuries, with Declan Rice, Tomas Soucek, Jarrod Bowen and Craig Dawson all having completed over 3,000 Premier League minutes this season.
Hammers boss Moyes understands that the full extent of his squad will be needed to contribute as the season reaches its finale.
“We need everybody to do a job for us.
“We’re going to get injuries. We’re trying to go as strong as we can in all the games, because we want to be in a European position in the league and we want to try and win the UEFA Europa League.
“There are very few games where we can say: “we can rest a few players here and we can do something different.” At the moment, the biggest thing we can talk about is about the resilience of the players.”
It would be Antonio’s replacement, Andriy Yarmolenko, who would open the scoring at the London Stadium after receiving a ball from Said Benrahma.
Having arrived onto the pitch to raptures of applause in support of the Ukrainian’s recent struggles, the forward brought a cross down well inside the area before poking the ball past Emiliano Martinez to give the home side the lead.
Pablo Fornals would double the advantage 12 minutes later as West Ham turned their first half possession into second half chances to put Villa to the sword.
Jacob Ramsey would restore one back for Steven Gerrard’s men with stoppage time on the horizon with a superb finish from just outside the box, but the visitors had left their attacking intent until too late.
Gerrard rued a day where moments went against his side and felt unlucky to leave London without a point.
“A lot of moments went against us today. It wasn’t our day and we’ve got a couple of injuries on the back of it.
“We go away disappointed with the result. As I said after the game against Leeds when we were feeling great, let’s stay calm, reset and get ready for Arsenal next week.
“We’ve got ten games to go and a lot to play for, in terms of where we finish.”
For Villa, a top-half finish must be the target as they consolidate their Premier League position and build towards another busy transfer window in the summer.
West Ham’s victory on Sunday has ensured their European hopes in the league have been boosted, but now their attention turns to the Europa League.
Moyes will be sweating over the availability of Antonio and Bowen as the match closes in but the London Stadium is set to be rocking whatever the line-up on Thursday night.
Steve Clare will be at the London Stadium for West Ham’s Europa League tie with Sevilla on Thursday.
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West Ham aim to boost their European ambitions when hosting Aston Villa at the London Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The Hammers are fresh off the back of a 1-0 defeat to Sevilla in midweek but can boost their European qualification hopes for next season with a victory over Steven Gerrard’s Villa side.
Alongside Liverpool, West Ham are the only club to have scored in every home Premier League match this season, with Michail Antonio and Jarrod Bowen leading the scoring charts with eight each.
Antonio has failed to score in his last eight league appearances and will hope to get back firing against the Villans, attempting to break a streak which would stretch to nine games for the first time since a spell between November 2019 and February 2020.
To make their scoring efforts more severe, Bowen will also be absent for the fixture as he recovers from a knock sustained against Liverpool last weekend. Declan Rice is expected to retain his place after returning from illness against Sevilla in midweek.
David Moyes was full of praise for his opponents ahead of the tie:
“I’ve always thought a lot of Aston Villa. I’ve said since last year that they’ve got good players and some really talented young players. They signed well in the transfer window. But the Premier League is full of good teams at the moment. Aston Villa will be a competitive game.
His team are in fantastic form against Villa in recent times, winning their last three Premier League fixtures against them, including a 4-1 win at Villa Park in late October.
Villa have recovered from some rocky form to win three straight against Brighton, Southampton and Leeds to lift themselves to ninth in the table.
Phillipe Coutinho has been added to the Villa ranks since that day and the Brazilian was superb the last time he faced the Hammers, when the Brazilian scored twice and assisted once in a 4-0 Liverpool win in May 2017.
The visitors will have hopes of replicating West Ham’s success in achieving Europe and Steven Gerrard explained it’s a test of how far his team have come when facing up against the Hammers.
“From what I hear from the outside, his coaching staff all do a great job of supporting him and they’re all doing a great job for West Ham.
“They’re competing in Europe, which is a long-term goal for ourselves.
“We need to admire what they’re doing and respect what they’re doing, but it’s a fantastic opportunity for us to show where we’re at, take on the challenge and go toe-to-toe with a good team.”
Marvelous Nakamba is the only absentee for Villa ahead of the fixture, with rumours that Morgan Sanson could get a rare start in midfield if Gerrard decides to rotate after playing Leeds on Thursday.
The match presents an intriguing game if Villa come at their best and with both team’s having play midweek, there will be no excuses for fatigue.
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We are now a month removed from the end of the January transfer window and some of the new signings have made impactful contributions at both ends of the table.
January is a notoriously difficult month to do business and find value, but there was money spent this year as some clubs looked to boost their campaigns while others simply needed numbers in the door.
Here is a look at how those new players have adapted to life at their new clubs.
Aston Villa
Steven Gerrard was one of the busiest managers in the transfer market, bringing in four players as he looks to make his mark at Villa Park. Goalkeeper Robin Olsen came in as back-up for Emiliano Martinez while defender Calum Chambers arrived late in the window from Arsenal but has appeared in back-to-back 1-0 defeats to Newcastle United and Watford respectively.
Fellow defender Lucas Digne has been steady if unspectacular since joining from Everton while midfield maestro Philippe Coutinho was the marquee signing, joining on a loan deal from Barcelona. The Brazilian had a dream debut, scoring the equaliser in a 2-2 draw with Manchester United while he also dazzled in a 3-3 draw with Leeds United.
His form has tailed off a little of late along with the rest of his team mates but he has shown enough so far to get Villa fans excited.
Brentford
Without doubt the most amazing signing of the transfer window was Christian Eriksen coming back to London to join Brentford, just seven months after his near-death experience while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020.
The midfielder made his debut in Saturday’s home defeat to Newcastle and showed glimpses of the quality that the ‘Bees’ will hope may keep them up. There cannot have been many football loves across the land that were not heartened by the return to action of the former Tottenham man.
Burnley
Sean Dyche pulled off perhaps one of the most important signings in the window by bringing in striker Wout Weghorst from German side Wolfsburg to replace Newcastle-bound Chris Wood.
Weghorst thus far looks like a bit of an upgrade, with the Dutchman offering much greater mobility in attacking areas. The giant striker set up Jay Rodriguez for the equaliser against Manchester United and opened his own account in the win over Brighton.
With only Robert Lewandowski having scored more Bundesliga in the last four season, this could be an inspired transfer that keeps the Clarets in the top-flight.
Crystal Palace
Patrick Vieira’s Palace were quiet in the transfer window with the permanent signing of loanee striker Jean-Philippe Mateta being the main move made.
Another notable transfer however was the signing of forward Luke Plange from Derby. Palace have take advantage of the Rams’ financial struggles to snare the talented youngster, who will spend the rest of the season at Pride Park. The 19-year-old scored on his first start in the Championship in Derby’s win over Blackpool and appears to have a bright future.
Everton
Now to the busiest Premier League club in the transfer window. Everton began the month with Rafael Benitez at the helm and he brought in two full-backs in Nathan Patterson and Vitalii Mykolenko.
Anwar El-Ghazi also came in from Aston Villa as part of the deal which saw Lucas Digne go the other way before Benitez departed Goodison Park and Frank Lampard took the reigns. Upon his arrival, the former Chelsea manager nabbed a couple of midfielders late on in the window, both with a point to prove in Donny van de Beek and Dele Alli.
It has been a quiet start for the new men so far with only van de Beek having much of an impact. The Dutchman was excellent in Saturday’s narrow defeat to Manchester City but Lampard will be hoping there is more to come from the quintet.
Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp has not traditionally done too much business in January but changed tack this time around once Tottenham Hotspur became interested in Luis Diaz.
The Reds sensed an opportunity to pounce with Porto looking to raise funds and swooped in to sign the Colombian international.
Diaz looked bright on his debut against Cardiff City in the FA Cup before scoring his first Liverpool goal in the 3-1 win against Norwich City at Anfield.
It will have been the 25-year-old’s performance in the League Cup final however that will really have caught the eye of many. The winger caused Chelsea problems all afternoon and did not have to wait to long to pick up the first of what he will hope is many winner’s medals with his new club.
Newcastle United
Newcastle were in desperate need to get players in the door in January, and did some brilliant business that gave a seven-game unbeaten league run a serious jolt. Defender Kieran Trippier had an instant impact, scoring two free-kicks in wins against Everton and Aston Villa after joining from Atletico Madrid.
The former Burnley and Spurs man has now suffered a broken foot though, which already rules him out of action for the time being.
Fellow former Claret Chris Wood has yet to get off the mark up in the North East but has made his presence felt up front while Dan Burn and Matt Targett have bolstered a previously struggling defence.
Midfielder Bruno Guimares arriving from French outfit Lyon got the Toon supporters very excited, but it has only been substitute appearances for the Brazilian so far.
Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham leaned on the contacts of sporting director Fabio Paratici to bring in two Juventus players during the winter window. Both midfielders, Dejan Kulusevski came in on loan while Rodrigo Bentancur joined on a permanent move.
Bentancur has looked bright and has added some energy and quality in the middle of the park while Kulusevski has made a big impact. The Swedish international scored the opener and laid on the winner for Harry Kane against Manchester City before adding another goal in the 4-0 win over Leeds to keep Spurs’ Champions League hopes alive.
If Kulusevski keeps this form up, he may join his colleague Bentancur in signing a permanent deal sooner rather than later.
Watford
Watford were as busy as ever during the transfer window, bringing in several players to aid their survival bid as well as hiring Roy Hodgson to replace Claudio Ranieri in the managerial hotseat at Vicarage Road.
Defenders Hassane Kamara and Samir joined from French side Nice and Italian outfit Udinese respectively, and have contributed to two clean sheets for the ‘Hornets’ in their last three games.
Edo Kayembe has also made a contribution in midfield while Samuel Kalu has yet to make his Premier League debut having made the move from Bordeaux.
Wolves
Wolves brought in three players during January, though only Chiquinho has joined up with the first-team squad in the Midlands initially.
The Portuguese winger has made a couple of substitute appearances for Bruno Lage’s side, one in the FA Cup against Norwich and one in the Premier League in a narrow defeat to Arsenal, but is yet to make a real impact at Molineux.
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Aston Villa’s third season back in the Premier League since their Championship promotion in 2019 has been rather tough going.
The Villans parted ways with Dean Smith just three months into the campaign, the man who helped them to seal their return to the top flight of English football. Steven Gerrard is now at the helm, with the former Rangers boss joining the side in just his third coaching job since retiring as a player in 2016.
Despite spending around £90 million on attacking talent in the summer, the former European Champions are currently sat 12th in the Premier League table. They have been unable to win more than two consecutive games in the league, and with their form not yet showing many signs of improvement, fans may already have their sights set on next season.
Villa won three of their opening six matches, including a shock result away at Manchester United. However, their form soon took a massive dip and they went on to lose their next five games in the league, with Smith being sacked just two days after their away defeat to Southampton.
The international break followed their poor display on the South Coast and therefore gave Villa two weeks in order to find their new manager. Gerrard, who won the Scottish Premiership with Rangers last season, made a surprise mid-season move from Ibrox to Villa Park and was announced as their new boss.
His reign at the helm of the Villans got off to a great start as his new side picked up crucial wins against Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace. Defeats to Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea came after, but they were mixed in with victories against Norwich City and Leicester City.
Results were therefore fluctuating and wins were crucial for their league position but losses against the top three were probably expected given the difference in quality.
Their FA Cup run was also short-lived as they lost at the hands of the Red Devils, with a Villa goal being ruled out by VAR in controversial circumstances. Domestic cup success was now off the cards, with their defeat at Old Trafford following their early exit in the Carabao Cup to Chelsea in the opening months of the season.
One win in their last five has further halted improvement, especially with successive losses to relegation-threatened Newcastle United and Watford in their previous two games. The question is though, how do they improve?
Bold steps were taken in the January transfer window as Villa signed former Champions League winner Philippe Coutinho on loan from Barcelona, a move that saw him and Gerrard reunite after their days together at Liverpool. They also brought in the experienced left-back Lucas Digne, who became an outcast at former side Everton.
Coutinho made an instant impact at Villa Park, coming off the bench and netting against United on his debut to level the score at 2-2 after his side were two goals down. He also picked up a goal and two assists in their 3-3 draw against Leeds United.
While in the short term these signings will be enough to help them through to the end of the season, in order for the long term to look bright they should utilise the strengths and promise of Jacob Ramsey.
The 20-year-old is competing in his second full season in the first team, having worked his way up through ranks in their youth system. He has come on leaps and bounds in the current campaign as he has scored crucial goals for his side, with his 23 appearances proving he is a useful asset to the side.
Danny Ings was signed in the summer from Southampton to bolster the attack alongside Ollie Watkins, but they have only scored nine goals together in a combined 41 appearances so far. While Villa are by no means the lowest scorers in the Premier League, results would obviously be improved if they were more clinical in front of goal.
They have only conceded 37 goals in the league but a lot of their results have been decided by just one goal, with fine margins, therefore, deciding their fate in games this season.
Villa are a wealthy club and have proved that in previous transfer windows, but they may need to spend more in the market in the summer if they want to improve on this season’s showing. It is a lot easier said than done but a lack of goals and narrow losses are letting them down, and these problems will need to be addressed if they are to progress next season.
Gerrard has done fairly well in his limited time so far, but his true success at the club will surely be determined after the summer and once he has partaken in a full campaign at Villa Park.
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