Remember when Steven Gerrard was appointed? It feels like that again and that is a positive. It's like the new manager bounce is back, only this time he's not really a new manager and we are having a nice bounce.
I'm not sure what it means, but I do like it. I think it's too easy to put it down to a player, so I'm going to put it down to the coaching team. I think it's also a little native to put it down to one person, with so little experience.
And we will learn something today about the players and coaching team because West Ham are I think a little different to Leeds and Southampton. In fairness, Southampton were in a good run, better than West Ham are and Leeds were in relegation form, but West Ham have something about them under David Moyes.
And that is why we will learn something today. Because it's not about West Ham and it's very much about us and if the manager can get the same tune out of the players as he did against Southampton and Leeds, it's starting to look a little like consistency.
But enough about West Ham, Keinan Davis scored twice yesterday and regular readers will know I'm a big fan of Keinan Davis and I just think it needs to be recognised that he's doing quite well on loan at Nottingham Forest. I don't think I've seen a striker at Villa for a long time that can hold the ball up as well as Davis and I like that about a striker. I like that there is some intelligence.
Now, I should just like a striker that scores goals, but I think you want something else from a striker and I think intelligence is the next best thing. And with intelligence, comes goals. But with intelligence, comes more goals and a player that does something valuable with the ball every time and value for me is not losing the ball. I hope he goes on to score more and comes back at the end of the season ready to work that 1% harder to get into the starting lineup for us next season.
And on that, I need to get out of bed. Back in time for the match.
Match facts from the BBC
Head-to-head
- West Ham are on a three-match winning streak in this fixture, their longest since a run of six between 1964 and 1967.
- Aston Villa are winless in six Premier League away games against the Hammers, failing to score in four of them, since a 2-1 victory in April 2011 (D3, L3).
West Ham United
- West Ham can lose four consecutive matches in all competitions for the first time since a run of five from March to April 2017.
- They have alternated between not winning and winning in their past eight Premier League home games, beating Wolves 1-0 last time out at the London Stadium. West Ham last earned back-to-back home league victories in October and November.
- The Hammers are one of just two sides - along with Liverpool - to have scored in all of their Premier League home fixtures this season.
- They have equalled the club Premier League record of scoring in 15 successive home games. The last time they had a longer streak was 27 matches from October 1985 to January 1987.
- Michail Antonio could go nine Premier League appearances without a goal for the first time since November 2019 to February 2020.
- David Moyes is unbeaten in 11 Premier League matches as a manager versus Aston Villa since Everton's 1-0 defeat at Villa Park in August 2010.
Aston Villa
- Villa have won three consecutive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since a run of four in December 2009 under Martin O'Neill.
- They have only once managed four top-flight wins in a row since the beginning of the 2010-11 season, from September to October 2020.
- Aston Villa have lost five of their six Sunday matches in the Premier League this season, with the exception being a 2-1 home win against Leicester in December.
- Philippe Coutinho has provided four goals and three assists in eight appearances for Villa.
- Tyrone Mings celebrates his 29th birthday on the day of this match.