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Watkins has nine goals in all competitions this season At a glance Villa record first Premier League win in four to boost top-five hopes John Mc Ginn strike puts Villa ahead in 15th minute Ollie Watkins ends six-match goal drought with 68th-minute goal West Ham remain in Premier League relegation zone Ollie Watkins ended a six-match Premier League goal drought as Aston Villa boosted their chances of qualifying for the Champions League with a comfortable win over relegation-threatened West Ham. The forward was left out of Thomas Tuchel's latest England squad earlier this week but appeared keen to impress and was rewarded for his efforts in the 68th minute, doubling his side's lead when he prodded in the rebound after Mats Hermansen saved from Morgan Rogers. Unai Emery's side had earned just nine points from their previous 10 Premier League matches and their chances of a top-five finish were at risk of slipping away after three Premier League defeats. But, buoyed by reaching the quarter-finals of the Europa League in midweek, Villa were a constant threat in a marked improvement from their recent league form. Captain John Mc Ginn opened the scoring with a sweet left-footed strike from the edge of the area, teed up by Jadon Sancho in a set-piece routine straight off the training ground. That was just one of many Villa chances in the first half with Watkins also twice going close and Lucas Digne firing wide. The hosts also had a penalty decision overturned when Konstantinos Mavropanos clipped Watkins in the area - referee Paul Tierney was sent to the monitor by the video assistant referee (VAR) and quickly changed his decision. It was a deserved victory for a side hunting a fourth successive season of European football with the Premier League's top five all but guaranteed a Champions League place. Villa will enter the international break fourth in the top flight, five points clear of Liverpool in fifth, while West Ham remain 18th, one point from safety. This video can not be played Emery 'delighted' with 'fantastic' Villa performance It is perhaps no coincidence that Aston Villa's recent slump has also coincided with Mc Ginn missing 10 games with a knee injury. In that time they went out of the FA Cup, and lost three league matches as well as drawing another two. So the Villa captain's presence was a welcome one in midfield and it was not just the Scot who seemed desperate for Villa to get back to winning ways. Watkins led the line brilliantly as he tried to show England manager Tuchel what he is missing. The striker's recent record has been dismal - just one goal in his previous nine matches - but he showed his quality here to push his claims to be England's favoured striker behind only Harry Kane. The sole criticism was that Villa only made one of their 14 chances - the most they have had in a Premier League first half since October 2023 - count by half-time. The contest was more even in the second half but it never felt like Villa were at risk of throwing away the three points. They have been made to rue missed opportunities of late with the worst shot conversion rate in the league this calendar year. But this was a more efficient display with two goals and a 200th Premier League clean sheet at Villa Park. This video can not be played Unfocused West Ham were not good enough - Nuno West Ham's recent upturn in form has offered a faint glimmer of hope as they continue to fight against relegation - they had earned 15 points from their previous nine Premier League games, one more than they had in their first 21 this season. But a trip to Champions League-chasing Aston Villa was always going to be a difficult task and the Hammers looked flat as they struggled to work their way into the game. It had been hoped winger Crysencio Summerville would be back from injury for the trip to Birmingham but the Dutchman was again absent and the Hammers have still not won any of their league games without him this season, with the number of matches now up to seven. For all the positivity around the Hammers in recent weeks they will enter the international break in the relegation zone, having never really looked like threatening hosts Villa. Their 29 points from 31 league matches this season means only in 2006-07 (34 games) and 2009-10 (33 games) have they gone later into a Premier League campaign without scoring more than 30 points. Nottingham Forest's win over Tottenham on Sunday put the East Midlanders three points clear of the drop zone and Nuno Espirito Santo will now use the two-week break to work out how to get his own side out of trouble. This was the last match for both sides before the international break. On their return, Aston Villa take on Bologna in the quarter-finals of the Europa League on Thursday 9 April. West Ham return to action sooner with an FA Cup quarter-final against Leeds United on Sunday 5 April. After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users. Comments can not be loaded To load Comments you need to enable Java Script in your browser Last Updated 22nd March 2026 at 16: 12 Please Note: All times UK. Tables are subject to change. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made. Manager: Unai Emery Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Nuno Espírito Santo Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Manager: Unai Emery Formation: 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 Manager: Nuno Espírito Santo Formation: 4 - 3 - 3 Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United High chance of scoring Medium chance of scoring Low chance of scoring Dominant period Match momentum measures the swing of the match by comparing each team’s threat to see who is more likely to score within that minute. The momentum value is the difference between each team’s most dangerous moment, or team threat, in that minute. Match momentum measures the swing of the match by comparing each team’s threat to see who is more likely to score within that minute. The momentum value is the difference between each team’s most dangerous moment, or team threat, in that minute. Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Aston Villa Aston Villa West Ham West Ham United West Ham West Ham United Premier League All competitions All competitions All competitions Aston Villa are looking to complete the league double over West Ham for the first time since 2010-11, the last time the Hammers were relegated from the top-flight. West Ham are winless in their last six Premier League games against Aston Villa, alternating between a draw (3) and defeat (3) each time. Though they’re unbeaten in six Premier League games overall against West Ham, Aston Villa have won just one of their last seven against them at Villa Park (D3 L3). Aston Villa have lost three consecutive Premier League games, as many as their previous 17 beforehand (W11 D3). The Villans last suffered four consecutive league defeats in April 2022 (a run which included a 1-2 defeat to West Ham), while Unai Emery has never done so in his entire managerial league career. West Ham have earned 15 points from their last nine Premier League games (W4 D3 L2), one more than they had in their first 21 this season (W3 D5 L13). No side has scored fewer Premier League goals so far in 2026 than Aston Villa (10). The Villans were the joint-5th highest scorers between August and December this term with 30. Despite using a league-high 32 different players in the Premier League this season, no team has had fewer different goalscorers than West Ham this term (10). All eight of Morgan Rogers’ Premier League goals this season have either put Aston Villa ahead (5) or drawn them level (3) in the match, the highest 100% such record in the competition this term. Jarrod Bowen has been involved in seven goals in his last eight Premier League games (2 goals, 5 assists), providing an assist in each of his last three. The only West Ham player to assist a goal in four consecutive appearances is Vladimír Coufal in October 2023. West Ham’s Callum Wilson has scored four goals from 16 shots away from home in the Premier League this season (25% conversion), averaging a goal every 125 minutes on the road. At home, he’s scored one goal from 16 shots (6. 3% conversion), averaging a goal every 501 minutes. Attempt blocked. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by John Mc Ginn. Attempt blocked. Amadou Onana (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Morgan Rogers. John Mc Ginn (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half. Foul by Freddie Potts (West Ham United). Attempt missed. Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box is close, but misses to the left following a corner. Attempt blocked. Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) right footed shot from very close range is blocked. Assisted by Ross Barkley with a headed pass. Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Jarrod Bowen. Attempt blocked. Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ollie Watkins. VAR Decision: No Penalty Aston Villa. Foul by Ross Barkley (Aston Villa). Valentín Castellanos (West Ham United) wins a free kick on the right wing. Attempt saved. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal by Mads Hermansen (West Ham United). Assisted by Morgan Rogers. Delay over. They are ready to continue. Delay in match because of an injury Tomás Soucek (West Ham United). Attempt missed. Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Morgan Rogers. Attempt missed. Amadou Onana (Aston Villa) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jadon Sancho. Attempt blocked. Ross Barkley (Aston Villa) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lucas Digne. Attempt missed. Valentín Castellanos (West Ham United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jarrod Bowen with a cross. Goal! Aston Villa 1, West Ham United 0. John Mc Ginn (Aston Villa) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Jadon Sancho following a set piece situation. Foul by Mateus Fernandes (West Ham United). Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.