Aston Villa won’t enjoy clash with ‘bogey team’ West Ham United amid ‘incredible’ record
Aston Villa will not enjoy their upcoming clash with West Ham, according to Premier League journalist Alex Keble.
The East London outfit travel to Villa Park to take on Unai Emery’s side on Sunday (22 October) in what is the first match back for both clubs after the international break.
Villa sit two points and two places ahead of David Moyes’s men in the table going into the encounter in the Midlands.
“West Ham are unbeaten in their last 10 Premier League matches against Villa (W6 D4) in a run that stretches back to May 2015, winning each of the last three encounters at Villa Park,” Keble wrote for the official Premier League website.
“They are a bogey team for Villa, of that there is no doubt. Even Emery’s incredible run of 10 consecutive league wins at Villa Park might not be enough to beat the jinx.
“West Ham’s particular tactical style is not something Villa will enjoy facing. Moyes likes to pack the middle of the pitch, expertly compressing space between the lines by rarely pressing opponents who pass out from the back.”
Nervy encounter incoming?
Both managers may be feeling the pressure at Villa Park on Sunday, with a single mistake perhaps all that it will take to win or lose the game given the aforementioned records of both West Ham and Emery.
The Hammers boast an extraordinary record against Villa, but Emery has turned his club’s stadium into a real fortress.
It looks certain to be an intriguing tactical battle between the two managers, who no doubt have a lot of respect for one another.
Both clubs have enjoyed rapid rises in recent times, and are currently balancing their domestic and European exploits well.
It could be that the recent international break plays a major factor in this Premier League clash, with both sides set to be fatigued as the match goes on given how they had several players on duty for their respective nations.
The Villa Park faithful will certainly be in full voice for the clash, but perhaps nobody knows just how this one will play out.
In other West Ham news, one Hammers-linked player is weighing up offers, with a European giant “leading the charge” for his signature.