Jeff Stelling predicts Aston Villa v West Ham United in new Potter verdict
Jeff Stelling has predicted Aston Villa will beat West Ham United 2-0 in the Premier League.
The talkSPORT broadcaster can’t see the Hammers winning against the Lions away from home on Sunday (26 January).
Stelling believes Graham Potter doesn’t have the attacking options Unai Emery has at his disposal at Villa Park.
Speaking on talkSPORT (23 January), the 69-year-old said: “West Ham were more than a little unfortunate in the FA at Villa Park just a couple of weeks ago. And, of course, Villa have also had mid-week European action.
“But Villa do have so many attacking options, and that’s something that just can’t be said for Potter. I think in the long term he will prove a good appointment. But I can’t get away from a Villa win in this one.”
Graham Potter can’t afford West Ham United loss v Aston Villa
As things stand, the Irons are struggling in the bottom half of the Premier League table and need a miracle to get a European spot.
The English manager’s first game in charge of the East London club was a 2-1 loss against Villa in the FA Cup on 10 January.
While the results didn’t go the Hammers’ way, the performance was encouraging enough for the fans to see a difference compared to matches under Julen Lopetegui.
West Ham reverted to a defensive structure against Crystal Palace and paid the price, losing 2-0 at the London Stadium on Saturday (18 January).
While Potter isn’t expected to challenge for a top-six spot, supporters will want to see changes sooner rather than later.
The Irons have some tough fixtures against Chelsea and Arsenal in the coming weeks, making the Villa game even more pivotal to the East London club’s prospects come the end of the season.
In other West Ham news, Jean Clair-Todibo regrets what he did during summer transfer window.
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