West Ham hosts Aston Villa at the Olympic Stadium in match week 29 of Premier League action. The last time these two sides met, the Villains got hammered. West Ham traveled to Birmingham and picked up a convincing 4-1 victory.
That match would prove to be one of the final nails in the coffin for then Villa manager Dean Smith as he was fired just over a week later. I think Aston Villa is in better shape now and will provide much stiffer opposition.
It will delight Irons fans that this is a home game. Their team has collected 7 of the last nine points available in home fixtures. The desire for a win is especially strong at the moment. West Ham is in a dire vein of form, having lost their last three games in a row in all competitions.
West Ham vs Aston Villa FYIs
When is it? Sunday, 13 March 2022 2 PM
Where is it? Olympic Stadium, London
Who’s in form? West Ham (DWLLL) Aston Villa (LLWWW)
What are the odds? West Ham (+1100) Aston Villa (-350) Draw (+475)
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Here is how I see David Moyes’ men lining up at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Injuries and a small senior squad size mean there isn’t a lot of David Moyes can do regarding selection. One change he will definitely make from the side that competed in the Europa League midweek is Lukasz Fabianski coming back in for Alphonse Areola in goals.
Kurt Zouma and Craig Dawson are the first-choice central defensive pairing for West Ham. I was wrong about one of them being rested in Seville, surely Issa Diop comes in for one of them in this match.
I am going with Zouma and Diop to start here and Craig Dawson to drop to the bench for a well-earned rest.
Emerging superstar Ben Johnson will drop to the bench also, providing an opportunity for Ryan Fredericks to start at right-back. Aaron Cresswell starts at left-back.
Declan Rice will start if fit. Alongside him will be Czech superstar Tomas Soucek. I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times – they are one of the defensive midfield pivots in world football. Argentine Manuel Lanzini will start just ahead of those two. Lanzini has been in tremendous form in 2022.
With Jarrod Bowen missing through injury in this match, look for Pablo Fornals to fill in at right-wing. The Spaniard has been ever-present in this Hammers side this season and is more than capable of doing a shift on the right flank. Algerian Said Benrahma comes in to start against Villa, with Nikola Vlasic rested.
The tireless Michail Antonio starts as the number nine.
I think West Ham is vulnerable here. Their form is bad, they have injuries to major players and, crucially, their tiny squad can’t handle the rigors of midweek European competition. Villa will be hungry to reverse their home defeat from earlier in the season, and I think they can do it.
Aston Villa 3-2.
Stuart Kavanagh is an up-and-coming sports journalist from Melbourne, Australia. Along with being the owner of the sports and entertainment website thepyrrhic.com, he is also the co-host of the ‘After Extra Time’ podcast. Football mad, he is always down for debate and discussion at @stueyissickofit on Twitter.