West Ham move out of bottom three with Villa draw

Ollie Watkins has been involved in eight goals in his past 11 Premier League games

West Ham earned a point against Aston Villa which saw David Moyes’ struggling side move out of the Premier League relegation places on goal difference.

Villa striker Ollie Watkins continued his impressive form as he broke the deadlock with a 17th-minute header from left-back Alex Moreno’s sublime cross for his sixth goal in seven games.

The lively Said Benrahma took his opportunity to respond for the hosts from the penalty spot nine minutes later, firing his spot-kick out of reach of World Cup winner Emiliano Martinez after Leon Bailey’s foul on Lucas Paqueta.

Benrahma was the standout attacking threat on either side at London Stadium but the winger saw a powerful strike from distance tipped over by Martinez in the second half among his match-leading 10 shots on goal.

Denied again by Ashley Young’s last-ditch block the Algeria international was unable to inspire the hosts to victory – although the point was enough to take West Ham above Bournemouth, who beat Liverpool on Saturday, to 17th in the standings.

Aston Villa, whose appeals for a penalty of their own were dismissed by the video assistant referee following Declan Rice’s challenge on Emiliano Buendia, remain 11th.

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Benrahma excites but Hammers in troubleSaid Benrahma has converted all seven of his penalties in league football in England (three for West ham, four for Brentford)

The pressure is building on Moyes to prove he can steer West Ham to safety and the urgent need for the Hammers to begin adding to their six wins this season was reinforced by victories for relegation rivals Bournemouth and Everton a day earlier.

Those results saw the Hammers – who have slipped a long way from the heights of securing European football in successive seasons – drop into the bottom three with a third of the season remaining, despite an outlay of around £160m on new players.

And while the draw marginally improved their immediate situation, the fans, just as they did following the 4-0 thumping by Brighton, made their feelings clear as the full-time whistle was met with boos.

Benrahma led by example as the home side looked to put last weekend’s setback behind them, combining driving runs with several quality attempts as he became only the third player to register as many as 10 shots in a Premier League game this season.

But despite landing half of those on target, with Martinez and Young both making crucial interventions for Villa, he could not add to his spectacular penalty as the visitors held out for a point.

Things look rather different for Aston Villa since Unai Emery took charge in November, with their relegation concerns a reassuring 11 points behind them and a top-half finish within reach.

A rejuvenated Watkins has been at the forefront of their recovery, and the 27-year-old has surely put himself in contention for inclusion in Gareth Southgate’s latest England squad, to be announced next week before the start of the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 qualifying campaign.

Only Marcus Rashford (10), Erling Haaland (10) and Harry Kane (8) have scored more goals in the competition than Watkins since the Premier League season resumed in December.

He expertly arrowed his header into the ground, the bounce beating Alphonse Areola, although he did miss a terrific chance to add to his tally when he shot at the West Ham goalkeeper at close range.

Player of the match

McGinnJohn McGinn

with an average of 7.37

West HamWest Ham UnitedWest Ham UnitedAston VillaAston VillaAston Villa

West Ham UnitedAvgSquad number22Player nameBenrahmaAverage rating

7.05

Squad number27Player nameAguerdAverage rating

6.18

Squad number20Player nameBowenAverage rating

6.14

Squad number18Player nameIngsAverage rating

6.05

Squad number11Player nameLucas PaquetáAverage rating

6.04

Squad number13Player nameAréolaAverage rating

6.04

Squad number14Player nameCornetAverage rating

6.03

Squad number33Player nameEmersonAverage rating

5.97

Squad number41Player nameRiceAverage rating

5.96

Squad number28Player nameSoucekAverage rating

5.81

Squad number8Player nameFornalsAverage rating

5.73

Squad number4Player nameZoumaAverage rating

5.61

Squad number24Player nameKehrerAverage rating

5.57

Aston VillaAvgSquad number7Player nameMcGinnAverage rating

7.37

Squad number11Player nameWatkinsAverage rating

6.93

Squad number2Player nameCashAverage rating

6.57

Squad number15Player nameÁlex MorenoAverage rating

6.36

Squad number6Player nameDouglas LuizAverage rating

6.28

Squad number1Player nameE MartínezAverage rating

6.22

Squad number10Player nameBuendíaAverage rating

6.21

Squad number5Player nameMingsAverage rating

6.14

Squad number41Player nameJ RamseyAverage rating

6.12

Squad number18Player nameYoungAverage rating

6.09

Squad number4Player nameKonsaAverage rating

6.06

Squad number22Player nameDuránAverage rating

5.96

Squad number27Player nameDigneAverage rating

5.74

Squad number9Player nameTraoréAverage rating

5.73

Squad number31Player nameBaileyAverage rating

5.69

Squad number16Player nameChambersAverage rating

5.62

Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsWest Ham

Formation 4-1-4-1

13Aréola24Kehrer4Zouma27Aguerd33Emerson41Rice20Bowen28Soucek11Lucas Paquetá22Benrahma18Ings

• 13Aréola24Kehrer4Zouma27Aguerd33Emerson41Rice20Bowen28Soucek11Lucas Paquetá

Booked at 70mins

Substituted forFornalsat 77’minutes22Benrahma18IngsSubstituted forCornetat 86’minutes

Substitutes

2Johnson3Cresswell7Scamacca8Fornals10Lanzini12Downes14Cornet21Ogbonna49Anang

Aston Villa

Formation 4-2-3-1

1E Martínez2Cash4Konsa5Mings15Moreno Lopera7McGinn6Douglas Luiz31Bailey10Buendía41J Ramsey11Watkins

1E Martínez2CashSubstituted forYoungat 80’minutes4Konsa5Mings15Moreno LoperaSubstituted forDigneat 64’minutes7McGinn6Douglas Luiz31BaileySubstituted forTraoréat 64’minutes10BuendíaSubstituted forDuránat 80’minutes41J Ramsey11WatkinsSubstituted forChambersat 85’minutes

Substitutes

3Santos Silva9Traoré16Chambers18Young22Durán25Olsen27Digne38Sinisalo

Referee:Chris KavanaghMatch StatsHome TeamWest HamAway TeamAston VillaPossessionHome41%Away59%ShotsHome17Away12Shots on TargetHome6Away4CornersHome13Away2FoulsHome8Away6Live Text Post update

Match ends, West Ham United 1, Aston Villa 1.

90’+7’Full Time

Second Half ends, West Ham United 1, Aston Villa 1.

90’+6’Post update

Offside, West Ham United. Thilo Kehrer tries a through ball, but Maxwel Cornet is caught offside.

90’+6’Post update

Foul by Jhon Durán (Aston Villa).

90’+6’Post update

Nayef Aguerd (West Ham United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90’+5’Post update

Calum Chambers (Aston Villa) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90’+5’Post update

Foul by Emerson (West Ham United).

90’+2’Post update

Offside, West Ham United. Saïd Benrahma tries a through ball, but Maxwel Cornet is caught offside.

90’Post update

Attempt saved. Jhon Durán (Aston Villa) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ezri Konsa.

90’Post update

Attempt missed. Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa) header from the right side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Douglas Luiz with a cross following a corner.

89’Post update

Corner, Aston Villa. Conceded by Nayef Aguerd.

89’Post update

Attempt blocked. Jhon Durán (Aston Villa) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bertrand Traoré with a cross.

87’Post update

Offside, West Ham United. Nayef Aguerd tries a through ball, but Maxwel Cornet is caught offside.

86’Substitution

Substitution, West Ham United. Maxwel Cornet replaces Danny Ings.

85’Substitution

Substitution, Aston Villa. Calum Chambers replaces Ollie Watkins.

84’Post update

Offside, West Ham United. Nayef Aguerd tries a through ball, but Danny Ings is caught offside.

84’Post update

Corner, West Ham United. Conceded by Ashley Young.

84’Post update

Attempt blocked. Saïd Benrahma (West Ham United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Pablo Fornals with a cross.

83’Post update

Attempt missed. Pablo Fornals (West Ham United) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Jarrod Bowen.

82’Post update

Foul by Lucas Digne (Aston Villa).

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Source: bbc.com