Aston Villa seek to exploit West Ham’s home form to maintain title charge momentum | OneFootball

Aston Villa head into the weekend with the growing belief that no opponent is beyond them, such is the authority of their recent form and the momentum they continue to build.

Unai Emery’s side have moved from early-season contenders to genuine title outsiders, and their response to the pressure of that label has only strengthened their credentials.

Victory over Arsenal last weekend was not framed as a one-off statement, but as another step in a run that has steadily reshaped expectations around Villa Park.

That sense of inevitability carried into midweek, where Villa again found a way to win in Europe, extending their winning streak to eight matches in all competitions.

The Europa League success mattered less for the performance than for the message it reinforced – that rotation, travel and fixture congestion are not disrupting their rhythm.

Villa now sit firmly in the conversation with Manchester City and Arsenal, close enough to threaten and confident enough to believe they belong there.

Such form naturally feeds the feeling that West Ham United will not be the exception when the two sides meet in London on Sunday.

Villa have already shown this season that venue and opponent carry little weight when their tempo and control are established early.

They also arrive with a recent head-to-head record that favours them, unbeaten in six meetings with West Ham and increasingly comfortable in this fixture.

West Ham’s outlook is far less certain, despite signs of improvement since Nuno Espirito Santo took charge earlier this season.

The hosts have lost only once in their last six league matches, yet that modest recovery has not lifted them clear of danger.

Home form remains a concern, with five defeats from seven league games at the London Stadium offering little reassurance.

Draws away to Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion suggest resilience, but they have rarely dominated matches in a way that would trouble a side like Villa.

There is also the underlying issue that West Ham still regularly concede goals, particularly when forced to defend sustained pressure.

That vulnerability plays directly into Villa’s strengths, with Emery’s side patient in possession and ruthless once spaces begin to open.

Confidence is flowing through the Villa squad, fuelled by late goals, game management and a growing trust in the system.

They will view this trip as another opportunity to reinforce their title charge and apply further pressure on those above them.

However, Emery will be keenly aware that belief alone does not win Premier League matches.

Villa must still impose themselves physically and tactically, especially against a side fighting to pull clear of the bottom three.

If they do, the balance of form and momentum makes it difficult to see an outcome that does not further strengthen their standing at the top end of the table.