Paul Doyle’s report has arrived, which is my cue to log off and watch Family Fortunes with Gino D’Acampo. Thanks for your company and emails - goodnight!
Post-match interviews
Declan Rice “It’s a special group and a special environment at the minute. We all look forward to going into train every day. As you can see by his face and mine [both can’t stop smiling], it’s a special place to be at the minute.
Ben Johnson “I’d echo what Dec said. It’s unbelievable. Our away fans are amazing and to win emphatically like that means a lot. Coming through the Academy, working all those years… it’s a true joy to play for this club.”
Declan Rice: “I can definitely add more goals to my game. That feeling of scoring a goal… it doesn’t get any better, especially away from home. To score and hear our fans erupt is really special. If I’m being honest, we’ve won 4-1 but we were so sloppy in the second half – we gave the ball away far too much, me included. We got it right in the last 10 minutes.”
Full time: Aston Villa 1-4 West Ham
Peep peep! West Ham’s feelgood autumn continues with a thumping win at Villa Park. It helped that Ezri Konsa was sent off with the score at 2-1, but West Ham had been the better team before that. They are fourth in the table, level on points with Manchester City. It’s not a false position.
90+1 min Villa appeal in vain for a penalty when Cash goes over after a challenge from Vlasic.
90+1 min Four added minutes.
90 min A couple of late changes for West Ham: Vladimir Coufal and Nikola Vlasic replace Jarrod Bowen and Pablo Fornals.
88 min Lanzini whips a lovely free-kick that wrongfoots Martinez and drifts just wide of the far post.
87 min Antonio is fouled 25 yards from goal by Nakamba. Villa are desperate for this game to end.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-4 West Ham (Bowen 84)
Michail Antonio puts Manuel Lanzini through on goal with a careful pass. He eschews the shot and instead slides the ball across to give Bowen an open goal. That’s a fine team goal from an outstanding West Ham side!
Updated
82 min This win will take West Ham to 20 points from 10 games - level with Manchester City and only two behind Liverpool, who they play at the London Stadium next weekend.
It was a ruthless break from West Ham. Rice’s punt forward was headed on by Antonio, who was being manhandled by Targett on the halfway line. Bowen ran onto it and hit a shot that was marvellously saved by Martinez, but Fornals squeezed the rebound in from a tight angle.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-3 West Ham (Fornals 80)
Fornals and Bowen, the two men who were booked a moment ago, combine to seal the match!
Updated
78 min: IT’S KICKING OFF! Nakamba and Fornals stayed down after a clash of knees as they challenge for a loose ball, and before you could say ‘ouch’, the players on both sides were pushing and shoving. Fornals is booked, as are McGinn and Bowen.
Updated
77 min Villa are having another decent spell. Watkins, in particular, has put in a helluva shift since they went down to 10 men.
74 min “Please confirm that when you wrote that Rice ‘is only 22’ you did so in a Michael Caine accent?” says Ian Copestake.
73 min Cash shoots well wide from 25 yards.
72 min Villa bring on Anwar El Ghazi for Leon Bailey, who worked hard without having much impact.
72 min “As a long-suffering West Ham fan, I wondered what your advice would be (as a Man United maven) to Declan Rice if he’s the subject of a huge transfer bid from United in January or the summer,” says Daniel Barnett. “Take the money and grab the chance to play with Pogba, Fernandes, Rashford et al., or stick with Moyes and this ‘damn fine’ Hammers team, despite its obvious limitations in the long term?”
I’d love him to stay at West Ham for his whole career, but in the modern world that’s not realistic. He’s only 22, though, so he shouldn’t be in a hurry - especially as it’s so much fun to play for West Ham at the moment. I definitely wouldn’t want to leave mid-season, not least because they could easily win a trophy this year.
Updated
71 min Martinez makes a comfortable save from Bowen. After a slightly iffy period following Konsa’s red card, West Ham have regained control of the game
69 min Rice’s free-kick is superbly saved by Martinez, diving low to his left.
Updated
67 min Bowen’s inswinging corner is headed to the edge of the area, where Lanzini volleys over the bar and is simultaneously flattened by Young. West Ham are given a slightly generous free-kick 22 yards from goal.
67 min West Ham calm the game down with an extended spell of possession in the middle third. Eventually Bowen wins a corner down the right, which he’ll take himself...
64 min A change for West Ham: Said Benrahma is replaced by Manuel Lanzini.
61 min Nakamba gets the crowd going by winning two 50/50s in the space of a few seconds. Villa’s ten men certainly haven’t given this up.
After a double VAR check, Kortney Hause escapes a red card but his defensive partner Ezri Konsa is sent off! 🟥
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) October 31, 2021
Correct decision? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/RcTgGFopCt
58 min “To be fair to Benali (54 min),” begins Ian Copestake, “VAR would surely have acknowledged that he was not that type of player.”
And that he would do all sorts for charity in the future.
57 min: Watkins hits the bar! A Villa corner ended up at the feet of McGinn on the right of the area. He stood up a lovely cross towards Watkins, who twisted his neck to thump a header off the bar. In fact, replays show Fabianski got a slight but decisive touch on Watkins’ header. That’s a brilliant save!
Updated
56 min “Slide into your DMs?” sniffs Ian Copestake. “What the hell, man. I thought we were buddies!”
There are no buddies, just followers and followees.
55 min Soucek’s shot from the edge of the area is blocked by Cash. Thirty seconds later, Soucek rakes a drive over the bar from distance.
54 min I wonder what VAR would have made of this.
53 min Tyrone Mings comes on to replace Emi Buendia (and Ezri Konsa)
52 min Cresswell’s free-kick hits the wall. I think it probably was a clear goalscoring opportunity for Bowen, but you can argue it both ways so I’m slightly surprised it was deemed a clear and obvious error.
KONSA IS SENT OFF!
50 min Chris Kavanagh decides it with a clear goalscoring opportunity and Konsa is off. Dean Smith looks disgusted. The argument against the red card is that Bowen was in the inside-right channel, so he would have needed at least one more touch before having a shot at goal.
Updated
Chris Kavanagh is going to the screen to decide whether Konsa should be sent off.
There’s a double VAR check going on - one for the foul on Bowen and the other for Hause flattening Fornals with a forearm smash moments earlier.
Updated
47 min Konsa is booked for fouling Bowen just outside the area. He was the last man, so it could have been worse.
Updated
46 min Peep peep! West Ham begin the second half.
“Of the related issues I for one am currently experiencing, Covid ain’t one of them,” says Ian Copestake. “No defensive midfielders, however, is defo an issue. Any good ones on offer in January?”
Are you trying to slide into my DMs?
Half-time reading
Modern football, discuss.
Half time: Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham
Peep peep! West Ham lead after an entertaining first half at Villa Park. There hasn’t been a huge amount in it, but West Ham have been a peedie bit more relaxed, confident and willing to take risks.
45+2 min Benrahma has a long-range shot blocked by Konsa.
45+1 min Buendia tries to zig-zag into the area and is blocked by Ogbonna. McGinn picks up the loose ball, rumbles forward but then shoots well wide with his right foot. Just before that, Rice diverted Young’s cross away from Cash with a crucial header.
45+1 min Two minutes of added time.
45 min Targett lofts it beyond the far post, where Konsa heads wide under pressure.
44 min Even though they are behind again, Villa have attacked with more confidence and purpose since Watkins’ goal. He wins another corner on the left, to be taken by Targett...
43 min “Ashley Young is on for Villa?!” weeps Peter Oh. That takes me back to over a decade ago, when I was briefly into fantasy football management. The young Villa version of Young often started for me, with decent rewards if I recall correctly. Forever Young!”
Wait till Matthias Breitkreutz and Stefan Beinlich come on.
41 min A decent chance for McGinn, who heads meekly wide from Targett’s cross. He was 10 yards out, so it wasn’t a sitter, but he could certainly have done better.
Benrahma moseyed infield from the left and played a simple pass to Rice, 30 yards from goal in the inside-right channel. He got the ball out of his feet and drove a low shot that beat the sprawling Martinez and sneaked in the far corner. “I didn’t see it,” mouths Martinez to one of his teammates. That’s not a surprise because, although it was right in the corner, it wasn’t the fiercest strike, and had Martinez seen it earlier he would probably have saved it. As if Declan Rice will care.
Updated
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham (Rice 38)
Declan Rice has restored West Ham’s lead!
Updated
37 min The resulting corner leads to a penalty appeal when Antonio goes down in the area. Chris Kavanagh isn’t interested, nor is VAR. Young did pull his shirt, but Antonio also made a meal of it.
36 min West Ham almost restore their lead. Benrahma leads a break and finds Antonio in the inside-left channel. He moves into the area and hits a left-footed shot that takes a deflection off the stretching Konsa and spins on the roof of the net.
Updated
Young swept a good pass out to McGinn, who poked it down the right wing towards Buendia. He wriggled away from Fornals a bit too easily and then picked out Wakins, whose low drive from 12 yards went through Fabianski and into the net.
GOAL! Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham (Watkins 34)
Ollie Watkins gets a much needed equaliser for Villa!
Updated
33 min “It’s gone from ‘ill with Covid’ to ‘Covid-related issue’,” says Julian Menz, “and far too many managers and clubs are obfuscating their players’ refusal to be vaccinated.”
My first thought was that he might be self-isolating or looking after family members, etc. Who knows. We can’t say with any certainty whether Ings or Douglas Luiz have been vaccinated; even if they have, they could still be infected.
33 min A poor ball from Bowen goes to Cash, 30 yards out. He has a pop at goal, and immediately regrets it.
31 min Ogbonna plays a poor pass to Fabianski, who concedes a corner under pressure. Bailey swings it in and Fabianski comes through the crowd to slap the ball clear. For a second I thought he was going to run past it but in the end it was good goalkeeping.
28 min Benrahma is fouled 30 yards from goal. Cresswell flips the free-kick towards Antonio, whose improvised backheader is saved by Martinez. It was going wide anyway.
27 min Targett’s clearance is blocked and almost falls for Bowen in the area. Villa get away with it but that was another sign of their nervousness.
24 min Villa are having more of the ball now. But there’s a lack of conviction in the middle third, never mind the final third. They look bereft of confidence.
Updated
21 min There’s some burgeoning unrest at Villa Park, which will do wonders for Villa’s collective confidence.
20 min Antonio beats Hause on the right of the area but then overhits his cross to a ludicrous degree.
19 min Villa’s system hasn’t changed since the substitution: Ashley Young is playing on the left of a midfield three.
17 min Soucek’s looping header is comfortably saved by Martinez.
16 min West Ham go straight down the other end and almost make it two! Johnson’s cross leads to a scramble in the Villa area before Bowen’s shot is headed off the line by Cash. That was actually his second block from Bowen in quick succession. I think the first one was going wide, but the second would definitely have gone in.
15 min Jacob Ramsey is replaced by Ashley Young. McGinn’s free-kick clears everyone in the middle and reaches Bailey, who shoots straight at Martinez from a tight angle.
14 min In fact Ramsey twisted his right ankle while running alongside Soucek. He’s really struggling and is being helped off the field by two of the physios.
Updated
13 min Zouma fouls Watkins 30 yards from goal on the left. Ramsey is also down after an accidental collision with Soucek, and looks in a fair bit of pain.
9 min West Ham are all over Villa, who look very nervous.
GOAL! Aston Villa 0-1 West Ham (Johnson 7)
Ben Johnson gives West Ham the lead with a fine goal! Rice moved through midfield and floated a pass out to Johnson on the right. He cut inside Targett on the edge of the area and cracked a low left-footed drive that beat the diving Martinez and nestled in the far corner. That’s a terrific strike, though Targett’s defending wasn’t the best.
Updated
5 min West Ham have made a confident, relaxed start, and have had most of the possession so far.
2 min Benrahma whips a curler well wide from distance. He has actually started on the left, with Pablo Fornals as the No10.
Updated
1 min Peep peep! Aston Villa, in claret and blue, kick off from left to right. West Ham are in their black away strip.
The players are ready to go to work. Before the kick off, they gather around the centre circle for a minute’s silence ahead of Remembrance Sunday. It’s on 14 November but this is Villa’s last home game before that date.
Dean Smith said that one of his players - presumably either Danny Ings or Douglas Luiz - is unavailable because of a “Covid-related issue”. The other has a soft-tissue injury.
Leeds have won 2-1 at Norwich in the early game. All three goals came in a five-minute period just before the hour. Raphinha put Leeds in front after a delightful slalom, Andrew Omobamidele equalised with a fine header and then Rodrigo’s long-range shot slithered under Tim Krul.
Updated
Dean Smith has reverted to a back four - maybe he’s been listening to Embrace - and made four changes from Villa’s heavy defeat at Arsenal nine days ago. Kortney Hause, Marvelous Nakamba, Jacob Ramsey and Leon Bailey replace Tyrone Mings, Axel Tuanzebe, Douglas Luiz and Danny Ings. I think Ings and Luiz are injured, but Mings and Tuanzebe have been dropped.
West Ham are unchanged from their last league game, the 1-0 win over Spurs Nil a week ago.
Aston Villa (4-3-3) Martinez; Cash, Konsa, Hause, Targett; McGinn, Nakamba, J Ramsey; Buendia, Watkins, Bailey.
Substitutes: Steer, Mings, Tuanzebe, A Young, Carney Chukwuemeka, A Ramsey, El Ghazi, Archer, Davis.
West Ham (4-2-3-1) Fabianski; Johnson, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Soucek, Rice; Bowen, Benrahma, Fornals; Antonio.
Substitutes: Areola, Diop, Dawson, Masuaku, Coufal, Noble, Lanzini, Yarmolenko, Vlasic.
Referee Chris Kavanagh.
Updated
Team news: Tyrone Mings dropped
This is your Aston Villa team to face West Ham United this afternoon. 🟣 #AVLWHU pic.twitter.com/CrHQNSdzdb
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) October 31, 2021
Here's how we line up today at Villa Park...#AVLWHU | @betway pic.twitter.com/zE6xUYs0jw
— West Ham United (@WestHam) October 31, 2021
Updated
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Aston Villa v West Ham United from Villa Park. It feels like a particularly important game for Villa, who have had a difficult start to life without Jack Grealish and sit 15th in the table. To some extent it’s a false position: at times they have looked excellent, especially in beating Everton and Manchester United, but they have also suffered exasperating defeats against Watford and Wolves among others.
West Ham, by contrast, are having a whale of time. They are flying in the Premier League, the Europa League and the Carabao Cup, and a victory today would move them level on points with Manchester City. They are - excuse me - a damn fine football team. So are Villa, on their day. But they haven’t had enough of those.
Kick off 4.30pm.
Updated
