Julen Lopetegui’s West Ham host Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in a huge matchup on opening weekend of 2024-25 Premier League season.
After battling to a ninth-placed finish last season, West Ham begin this campaign looking to fight for European qualification.
Villa meanwhile will seek to fight for another top-four finish as they continue to progress under Unai Emery.
Team News
Edson Alvarez is a doubt for West Ham as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury suffered at Copa America, whilst on international duty for Mexico.
Wes Foderingham, Max Kilman, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Guido Rodriguez, Luis Guilherme, Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Fullkrug could make their club debuts.
Aston Villa will have goalkeeper, Robin Olsen available after the Swede recovered from a minor head injury suffered in pre-season.
Tyrone Mings and Boubacar Kamara (both knee) remain sidelined.
Ian Maatsen, Samuel Iling-Junior, Enzo Barrenechea and Amadou Onana could make their club debuts, whilst Ross Barkley and Jaden Philogene-Bidace re-joined the club in the summer.
When is Kick-Off?
West Ham host Villa at London Stadium on Saturday 17 August at 3pm BST, live on Sky Sports in the UK.
Stat Attack
- West Ham have lost one of their last 12 meetings against Aston Villa (W6, D5, L1).
- Aston Villa are winless in their last nine visits to West Ham (D5, L4), and yet to taste victory at the London Stadium.
- Three of West Ham’s last five home games against Villa ended in 1-1 draws, whilst the Hammers won the two other matches by 2-1 results.
- West Ham kept just one clean sheet in pre-season (W1, D2, L2).
- Villa were unbeaten in six of their seven league visits to London-based opposition last season (W5, D1, L1).
Prediction
With David Moyes now gone and Julen Lopetegui now in alongside a host of new signings, West Ham should be in a position to fight for European qualification but I do think that they will need some time to gel here.
Villa meanwhile surprised many last seasons and have done a great job at retaining key players, which sets them up nicely but they will need to start well if want another top-four push before the Champions League comes into the fixtures list.
East London though hasn’t exactly been an easy hunting ground for Villa in the last decade, so I do expect this to be a close encounter but Unai Emery’s Villains should just have the edge.
Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Aston Villa
Result: West Ham 1-2 Aston Villa
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