West Ham and Aston Villa might share the same iconic kit colors but there is not much else these two have had in common this season.
Historically, both have often been perceived as huge clubs who have not quite met the expectations that comes with that, barring a few exceptions. Both have been down to the Championship in recent memory, and in West Ham’s case there are serious concerns that they could be back there again next season.
But while both have often found themselves in similar positions, there is a lot to separate these two sides at present – 22 points to be exact.
Tables Have Turned
You only need to go back to the 2021/22 season to see a very different situation, however. West Ham found themselves in European contention for much of the campaign and ended the campaign by securing qualification for the Conference League – a competition they would go on to win the following season. Villa, meanwhile, finished down in 14th.
But since 2022, both sides have certainly been on very different trajectories. The two would swap places in the 2022/23 campaign, with Unai Emery’s mid-season appointment sparking a complete turnaround at Villa who finished seventh while it was West Ham who ended up finishing in 14th.
The gap has only widened since, with Villa now the perennial European contenders and West Ham the relegation strugglers.
Not A Slam Dunk
But despite the bigger picture, and the two teams’ very contrasting goals as we approach the end of the season, much more recent history suggests this could be a far closer game than the league table would suggest.
Villa have lost their last three league games and look like they will face a real battle to keep their place in the top five, having been firmly in the title race earlier this season. West Ham, however, go into this game having picked up a valiant point against Manchester City in their last match and beat Fulham the game prior.
Emery himself also agrees that the clash will be a lot closer than the table suggests.
“They are getting better under Nuno Espírito Santo,” the Villa boss said. “They are getting more points and competing. It’s a very, very difficult match. It’s an equal match in my expectation.”
But Hammers boss Nuno Espírito Santo is under no illusions of the size of the task in front of his team, having been impressed by Villa’s Europa League win over Lille on Thursday.
“I don’t see Villa struggle,” he said. “I saw the game on Thursday and I saw a very good team. Unai is an amazing manager and the quality of their players and the way they play football is really, really tough.
“My objective now is what they have been doing, what they did yesterday and what we expect. It’s not comparing. I know we’re going to face a very tough opponent.”
With plenty at stake for both sides, a win for either would certainly be huge in the context of their differing domestic hopes.
