Follow live coverage as Aston Villa face West Ham United today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Aston Villa FC 1 - 1 West Ham United FC
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:44There's the full-time whistle at Villa Park, as West Ham United equalise to secure a well-deserved 1-1 draw with the hosts Aston Villa! Although they had a 1-0 lead from half-time, the Villans mustered just 0.79 xG as chances from substitutes Malen, Duran and Buendia all went astray, with the vast majority of openings coming at the other end. West Ham produced 1.39 xG themselves, with Paqueta and Soler both spurning chances from right in front before Emerson popped up to head home at the far post. Alvarez, Soucek and Ings all had chances to win it for the Hammers, who thought they'd done just that at the death as the offside Soucek and Paqueta combined to finish off Irving's spilled shot, only for the flag to go up. Villa remain eighth and four points off the European places following back-to-back draws, while West Ham jump up to 13th in the Premier League table having gone oh so close to a second win under Graham Potter.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:37FULL-TIME: ASTON VILLA 1-1 WEST HAM.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:37BALL IN THE NET!!! The linesman's flag denies the Hammers a winning goal in bizarre circumstances!!! Irving lines up a left-footed shot from 20 yards which is struck low and spilled by Martinez, falling straight to an offside Soucek. He takes the ball away from the goalkeeper and tees up Paqueta to finish from close range, but as the West Ham players and bench celebrate, the referee awards a free-kick Villa's way instead!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:33OVER!!! Villa win possession back after Paqueta pulls up when chasing a throughball, and after Tielemans' cross is headed away by Kilman to Buendia, the substitute chests the ball down and sends a half-volley high and wide into the Holte End!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:33Substitution Mohammed Kudus Guido Rodríguez
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:31CHANCE!!! Cresswell's floated pass into the area is headed on by Soucek towards Paqueta, but with his back to goal, the Brazilian tries an overhead kick and completely misses the ball from right in front!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:30Tielemans sends Maatsen running into the final third with a glorious throughball from deep, but he takes too long to try a shot or pick a pass and Wan-Bissaka steps in to make the block!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:28We had six added minutes – which turned into 10 – in the first half, and we're set for another SEVEN to extend the second by, as both Villa and West Ham press on looking for the winner!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:28Malen holds onto possession for too long without reaching Cash and loses it to a well-times challenge from Scarles. He plays the ball forward with Paqueta making the run, but Konsa slides in to knock it clear just in time!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:26Tielemans frees up crossing space for Malen down the right and he drills a low ball into the middle, but Cresswell slides in at the near post to put it behind as Villa take their turn to ramp up the pressure.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:24Substitution Edson Omar Álvarez Velázquez Andrew Irving
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:23Kilman and Kudus go for the same ball from Cresswell's delivery to the far post, but neither can get a decent contact on it and the chance goes astray!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:23CHANCE!! Wan-Bissaka is bundled over to no avail but Paqueta keeps the ball alive with some superb close-control and a back-heel to release Coufal. He crosses for Ings in the middle, but Kamara gets the final touch to take it behind for a corner!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:21WIDE!!! West Ham go closer still!!! Wan-Bissaka beats Buendia down the right-hand side before standing up a cross into the middle, and after Paqueta misses it, Ings takes a touch before slamming a right-footed strike goalwards which just creeps around the wrong side of the upright!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:20WIDE!!! Maatsen bursts onto a loose ball and into open pasture before playing forward to Duran. It's an overhit pass which Duran has to slide in for, but he still manages to get a shot away and skews it just wide of the side netting!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:17West Ham substitute – and former Villa striker – Ings has more Premier League goals at Villa Park (four) than he does at any other ground as a visiting player. Ominous perhaps?
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:16Wan-Bissaka wins possession high up the pitch for the Irons and charges into the box before firing across the face, but no-one can get on the end of it for West Ham and the chance goes begging!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:15CHANCE!! Cresswell's free-kick from the left for West Ham is headed half-clear by Duran and re-delivered by Wan-Bissaka, but Soucek's far-post header is too heavy and sails over the top!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:12OVER! Another Coufal long throw isn't dealt with well enough by Villa and the ball comes out to Alvarez, whose half-volley from the edge of the area is blazed over the top!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:10Substitution Emerson Palmieri dos Santos Oliver James Scarles
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:09Substitution Carlos Soler Barragán Daniel William John Ings
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:08Substitution Jacob Matthew Ramsey John McGinn
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:08Substitution Morgan Elliot Rogers Emiliano Buendía Stati
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:06Assist Edson Omar Álvarez Velázquez
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:04SAVED!!! Malen's straight into the action and cuts inside two players before letting fly from the edge of the box, but his left-footed strike is straight down the throat of Areola!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:03Yellow Card Edson Omar Álvarez Velázquez
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:01Substitution Oliver George Arthur Watkins Jhon Jader Durán Palacio
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
18:01Substitution Leon Patrick Bailey Butler Donyell Malen
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:59Yellow Card Morgan Elliot Rogers
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:58OFF THE LINE!!! A vital block from Konsa bails out his goalkeeper!! Martinez comes out for Kudus' cross from the right, but clatters into the back of Cash and spills the ball at Soler's feet. He goes for goal from an acute angle, but Konsa's back there and gets on the front post to block his shot away from danger!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:58Yellow Card Tomáš Souček
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:56Following their 2-1 win at the London Stadium on the opening weekend, Aston Villa are on course to complete a first league double over West Ham since 2010-11, when the Irons finished bottom of the table.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:55OVER!!! Digne lines up the free-kick and goes for goal, but puts way too much on the shot to send it up and over the bar!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:54Bailey drives forward on the break for Villa before hitting the deck right on the edge of West Ham's box, under pressure from Soucek and Alvarez. It's the Mexican who is penalised by the referee, as Villa line up a shot from little over 18 yards out.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:53CHANCE!!! Coufal gets around the outside and stands up a cross into the middle, where Emerson arrives and attempts to volley home, but can only skew the ball into Martinez's gloves!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:50WIDE!!! What a chance for West Ham to level it!!! Wan-Bissaka hangs a high cross up to the back post and it's cut back by Emerson. Paqueta turns and shoots from right in front, but drags it wide of the far post with the goal at his mercy!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:47Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last 20 home PL games when leading at half-time since a 4-2 loss to Arsenal in February 2023. Meanwhile, West Ham are winless in their last eight away games when trailing at the break since a 2-1 win at Wolves in April last year, losing six times.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:46Watkins and Kilman now go down after colliding in mid-air while contesting a high ball, and both receive treatment as the drop-ball goes Villa's way with Kilman briefly leaving the field.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:45Digne hits the deck and stays down following the very first challenge of the second half from Paqueta, and with Villa worrying that they might lose another defender, the makeshift centre-back is eventually back to his feet.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:44Villa have shot up to an 80.6% chance of victory in our live win probability tracker as they lead 1-0 up heading into the second half, and with West Ham down on just 4.5%, they'll be under pressure to turn things around as Soler gets us back underway!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:36Kamara held things down in midfield for the Villans, having one shot on goal blocked following five final-third entries and completing eight passes in that area of the pitch. Defensively, the Frenchman has shone, with 10 of his 15 duels being successful, including two dribbles and aerial contests apiece, as well as possession being turned over six times via five tackles, who of which have come off.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:34We're finally at the break after 10 minutes of first-half added time, and it's Aston Villa who lead West Ham United 1-0 thanks to that early goal from Ramsey! The hosts started brightly to say the least and had the ball in the net inside eight minutes, Ramsey finishing after a superb one-two with Watkins. Villa produced 0.52 xG in total and saw Kamara, Bailey, Tielemans and Watkins all go close to making it 2-0, as well as having a quick-fire Rogers strike ruled out for offside. At the other end, West Ham managed 0.33 xG through Alvarez, Kudus and Paqueta's efforts, but despite Mings' injury, Villa will be confident that they can see this game out.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:28HALF-TIME: ASTON VILLA 1-0 WEST HAM.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:27Alvarez slides in to block a Digne clearance and catches him on the follow-through, but the Frenchman stays down to give Villa a late free-kick before the half-time whistle blows.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:25WIDE!! The Hammers free-kick is eventually floated into the box and falls for Kudus, whose left-footed strike is blocked. It comes back to Paqueta to hit first-time, but he can only send his effort wide of the far post!!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:25As West Ham prepare to take a free-kick from distance, there's a stoppage after Paqueta and Cash both hit the deck in the line. VAR have a look at the clash between Paqueta and Digne, but there's nothing doing in terms of any violent conduct.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:21BLOCKED!!! Villa take a free-kick quickly which sees Rogers and Tielemans link up with Cash. His byline cross is deflected and brought down by Bailey, before Maatsen lashes a first-time strike into the crowd and Digne's follow-up is also blocked!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:21Yellow Card Aaron William Cresswell
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:21Yellow Card Youri Marion A. Tielemans
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:20It's been 30 minutes since West Ham last attempted a shot in this game, and that doesn't bode well given how much they've looked to break up its flow.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:18We're set for an additional SIX minutes to close out the first half, the majority of which is to accomodate for Mings' unfortunate injury troubles.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:16OVER!! Soler's cross-field ball picks out Wan-Bissaka on the right and he crosses in for Alvarez. He chests the ball down and blazes it over the top right-footed, but the offside flag goes up anyway!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:14Kudus turns possession over on halfway as West Ham come forward in numbers, and after Coufal's cross from the right is deflected up into the air, the Ghanaian tussles with Rogers in the Villa box but can't quite bring the ball under control.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:10Digne is the 49th player to make 100 Premier League appearances for Aston Villa, but the first Frenchman to do so.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:09Mings has pulled up once again after suffering another twinge to his knee, and Villa won't be taking any chances this time around as he trudges off the pitch in agony.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:08Substitution Tyrone Deon Mings Ian Ethan Maatsen
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:07WIDE!!!! Villa go within inches of making it 2-0!!! They win a free-kick on the left-hand side after Coufal fouls Ramsey, and Tielemans' delivery is met by a glancing header from Watkins which bounces agonisingly wide of the far post!!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:04Mings is up and moving on the touchline with Villa temporarily down to 10, but it remains to be seen if he'll be able to carry on despite the hosts being short of central defenders.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:03Mings remains on the deck but is at least sat up as he continues to nurse that knock to the knee, but it looks increasingly likely that the Villa defender will have to come off.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:03Mings is down following a knock to his knee from a challenge wiith Kudus, and given he missed all of last season with an ACL injury, you'd expect Unai Emery not to take any chances regarding his number five's involvement in this game.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
17:01WIDE!! Bailey's knock-down from a header allows him to tee up Tielemans on the edge of the box, as the Belgian pulls a left-footed strike just wide of the right-hand post!!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:59SAVED!!! Digne has space to cross from the left and picks out Watkins in the middle, but he can only send his goalbound header into the waiting gloves of Areola!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:58Jacob Ramsey’s opener after seven minutes and 20 seconds was Aston Villa’s quickest Premier League goal since August – which came in the reverse fixture against West Ham, through Amadou Onana (3:29).
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:56CHANCE!!! Rogers turns on halfway to set off on the counter for Villa with Bailey ahead of him, but he overcooks his throughball to the Jamaican and the chance comes to nothing!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:54Emerson does well to win West Ham a corner with a deflection behind off Cash, but neither of Soler or Wan-Bissaka's crosses from either side of the pitch come to anything.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:52Watkins has now been involved in 100 Premier League goals in 169 appearances for Aston Villa (69 goals, 31 assists). He's the fastest player to 100 goal involvements since Kevin De Bruyne in July 2020 (155th game) and fastest Englishman since Harry Kane in November 2017 (128th game).
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:50The Irons win a corner which is swung in and met by the head of Soucek, but his far-post effort is straight into Tielemans and Villa are able to clear their lines.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:48BLOCKED!! A brilliant Kudus touch takes him past Tielemans and into shooting space, but he cuts the ball back for Alvarez to strike goalwards, only for his effort to be blocked by Mings!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:47West Ham have now conceded nine Premier League goals in the opening 10 mins of their matches this season – two more than any other team – and they could well have conceded a second in this game alone, but for Watkins being caught offside.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:46SAVED!!! Villa come forward with ease yet again as Cash strides into the final third before feeding Bailey. He cuts inside from the right and shoots, but it's arrowed straight into Areola's gloves!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:45BALL IN THE NET!! Villa are denied a quick-fire second!! West Ham remain under the pump as Kudus loses out to Bailey and he plays Watkins in behind. Areola's in no-man's land as the England striker crosses for Rogers to tap in from close range, but the flag is up from Watkins' initial run and the goal won't count!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:43BLOCKED!!! Villa are straight back onto the attack as Rogers finds Watkins with a low pass into the box. He's forced wide before pulling it back to Kamara, whose first-time strike is blocked by Alvarez!!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:39Rogers wins Villa a corner following a clipped throughball around the corner by Bailey, but the delivery is headed clear at the far post by Kilman and Tielemans can't get onto the end of Digne's ball back into the middle.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:39Goal Jacob Matthew Ramsey
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:38CHANCE!! Rogers slips a superb pass through for Ramsey, but he's dispossessed by an expertly-timed challenge in the box from Kilman on the slide!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:37Coufal launches a long throw into Villa's box for the Hammers, but Kamara gets his head to it ahead of Kilman and the hosts are able to deal with the threat.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:35The three oldest starting XI's named by Graham Potter in his Premier League managerial career have all been in his first three matches with West Ham – 29 years and 26 days v Fulham, 29y 264d v Crystal Palace, and 29y 97d in this one.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:32Rogers kicks the game off for the Villa, as we get up and running in the West Midlands!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:31The hosts are the heavy favourites in our live win probability tracker, with Villa sitting on a huge 61.6% chance of victory compared to the Irons’ 18.1%. Emery’s side will be full of confidence as the two sides head out onto the pitch, and the onus is on West Ham to turn their poor run of form around!
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:31Three changes come in for Graham Potter’s Hammers, with Konstantinos Mavropanos suspended as Lukas Fabianski and Guido Rodriguez are benched. In come Vladimir Coufal and Carlos Soler into defence and midfield respectively, with Alphonse Areola returning between the sticks.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:31Unai Emery makes two changes from Villa’s 2-2 draw at Arsenal, with Ian Maatsen benched and Amadou Onana out through injury. Leon Bailey replaces the latter as Lucas Digne also comes in at left-back, the latter making his 100th league appearance for the Villans.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:26WEST HAM SUBS: Lukasz Fabianski, Wes Foderingham, Luis Guilherme, Danny Ings, Guido Rodriguez, Andy Irving, Kaelan Casey, Ollie Scarles, Lewis Orford.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:26WEST HAM (3-4-2-1): Alphonse Areola; Vladimir Coufal, Maximilian Kilman, Aaron Cresswell; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Edson Alvarez, Carlos Soler, Emerson; Lucas Paqueta, Tomas Soucek; Mohammed Kudus.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:26ASTON VILLA SUBS: Robin Olsen, Oliwier Zych, John McGinn, Jhon Duran, Emiliano Buendia, Andres Garcia, Donyell Malen, Ian Maatsen, Lamare Bogarde.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:26ASTON VILLA (4-2-3-1): Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Tyrone Mings, Lucas Digne; Youri Tielemans, Boubacar Kamara; Leon Bailey, Morgan Rogers, Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:05New West Ham manager Graham Potter’s dugout debut for the Irons came against Villa in the FA Cup, falling to a 2-1 defeat. Since then, he’s struggled to break the sluggish, inconsistent form which resulted in Julen Lopetegui’s sacking – beating Fulham 3-2 before being well beaten by Crystal Palace in a 2-0 defeat last time out.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:05Sitting eighth in the table as they handle competing across multiple front this season, Villa have turned their patchy autumn form around and are unbeaten in the league so far in 2025. That constitutes a four-game unbeaten run, including back-to-back victories over Leicester and Everton, before producing a rapid-fire comeback to draw 2-2 with Arsenal last time out, equalising within 13 minutes of going 2-0 down.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
16:05Hello, and welcome to live coverage of this match in the Premier League, as Aston Villa face West Ham United at Villa Park.
Aston Villa vs West Ham United
14:30Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
