Aston Villa won 2-0 at home against West Ham in the Premier League, snapping a three-match losing streak. John McGinn opened the scoring with a long-range effort, and Ollie Watkins added a second after a goalkeeper error.
Aston Villa's victory moved the fourth-placed team a point behind third-placed Manchester United. The result came after other top teams stumbled: Liverpool and Chelsea lost, while United drew at Bournemouth. Ollie Watkins, who scored for the first time in seven league games and was omitted from England's squad, described the win as “massive” via the club's website. He noted: “All the teams around us played before and dropped points, so we knew the job at hand.” Watkins added: “We’ve taken that and maximised our opportunity to push on and get into those Champions League spots.” John McGinn, the captain returning from injury, struck first in the 15th minute from distance. Watkins' goal arrived in the 68th minute, sliding home the rebound when Mads Hermansen spilled Morgan Rogers’s shot. A potential penalty for Watkins, following a challenge by Konstantinos Mavropanos, was overturned after Video Assistant Referee review. Villa sit six points clear of sixth-placed Chelsea, despite trailing on goal difference by 10 goals. Fifth place is expected to secure Champions League qualification this season. West Ham, third from bottom, stayed a point behind Tottenham, also inferior on goal difference by 11 goals. Hammers manager Nuno Espirito Santo conceded: “We have a LOT of work to do,” acknowledging the better side prevailed as relegation pressures mount.
