Hammers Bring Home Villa Point

Graham Potter picked up a vital point in his first Premier League away match in charge of West Ham United, as they came from behind to draw 1-1 with Aston Villa at Villa Park on Sunday afternoon.

The Hammers Head-Coach made three changes to the team that lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace eight days ago, as Alphonse Areola was preferred to Łukasz Fabiański in goal, as the Pole dropped to the bench where he was joined by Wes Foderingham. Vladimír Coufal replaced Guido Rodríguez, while Carlos Soler came into the starting line-up for the suspended Konstantinos Mavropanos.

Also among the visiting substitutes were youngsters Luis Guilherme, Oliver Scarles, Lewis Orford and Kaelan Casey, along with Andrew Irving.

When the two sides met in the Emirates FA Cup earlier this month, the visitors controlled the opening stages however, in this encounter, the Villans were firmly in command and went ahead after eight minutes when Jacob Ramsey finished off a free-flowing move to beat Areola.

It wasn’t the start that Potters’ side either wanted or needed but even before that goal, they might have been ahead earlier, had Max Kilman not blocked Ramsey’s first attempt.

Unai Emery’s side were really turning on the style but only had themselves to blame for not pushing on from that early advantage, as they wasted numerous other chances. There was even a reprieve for the Irons when Morgan Rogers had a second ruled out for offside.

The visitors slowly turned the tables but, for all their pressure, nothing was working out for them either.

Due to a lengthy stoppage, owing to an injury sustained by Tyrone Mings, six minutes of time were added on but because of the action having to be stopped several times in that period, it was actually nine minutes that were played.

Nevertheless, Villa kept their lead intact going into half-time, but the Irons sensed that they could grab something even though they hadn’t yet registered a shot on target.

When referee Peter Banks restarted the action, the visitors were keen to continue from where they had left off before the break. Lucas Paquetá tried his luck but only succeeded in sending his effort wide.

Minutes later, Emerson Palmieri was kept out by Emiliano Martínez, before Soler went ever so close to finding what his team had been looking for but, he unfortunately had his shot cleared off the line by Ezri Konsa, after the ball had been spilt by the villans’ stopper.

Shortly after a counter-attack from the hosts had broken down, West Ham had found the equaliser. Edson Álvarez had collected possession from Aaron Wan-Bissaka and crossed the ball for Palmieri to head past Martinez and delight the travelling contingent.

Potter had been planning to substitute the former Chelsea player before the goal but was glad he didn’t. However, five minutes later, he did withdraw him as part double change with Scarles and Danny Ings coming on. Soler was the other player to leave the action.

Two further minutes had passed and West Ham continued to go forward another cross was delivered into dangerous area. This time it was Wan-Bissaka who sent the ball in but unfortunately, Tomáš Souček was unable to head in a second goal.

After Emery’s side had missed a great chance to go back ahead, up the other end, Ings sent a half-volley just wide, before Kilman also directed his header wide, following an Aaron Cresswell corner.

In the last minute of normal time, Potter introduced Irving for Álvarez.

Another seven minutes of time were added at the end of the game and after Rodríguez had entered the fray for Mohammed Kudus, the visitors thought they had won the game, as Paquetá had beaten Martinez from close-range. Unfortunately for all connected club, the joy was short-lived, as the effort was ruled out, because Souček was offside.

The Hammers can be proud of their efforts after this match and they now have a week to prepare for a trip to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.