Aston Villa recorded a convincing 2-0 Premier League victory over West Ham United on Sunday 22nd March 2026, with kick-off at 2:15pm at Villa Park, where an attendance of 42,130 watched a controlled home display.
The West Ham vs Aston Villa lineups showed Unai Emery’s side brimming with attacking intent from the outset, while the Hammers struggled to create meaningful chances throughout the afternoon.
Match Overview
It was Villa who struck first and struck early, with John McGinn netting in the 15th minute, assisted by Jadon Sancho, to give the hosts an early grip on proceedings.
West Ham were unable to find a route back into the game and Villa comfortably managed the match through the second half, with Ollie Watkins putting the result firmly beyond doubt when he added a second in the 68th minute.
The visitors’ afternoon was made more difficult by three half-time substitutions, which pointed to clear tactical problems that manager Graham Potter was attempting to address.
Wan-Bissaka’s yellow card just before the break added further pressure on the West Ham backline, as Villa continued to probe with fluency and confidence.
- McGinn opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a Sancho assist
- Watkins sealed the win in the 68th minute
- Villa Park attendance stood at 42,130
- Referee Paul Tierney was in charge, with VAR support from Stuart Attwell
West Ham vs Aston Villa Lineups — Starting XIs
Aston Villa Starting XI
| # | Player | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Emiliano Martinez | GK |
| 2 | Matty Cash | |
| 4 | Ezri Konsa | |
| 14 | Pau Torres | |
| 12 | Lucas Digne | |
| 24 | Amadou Onana | |
| 6 | Ross Barkley | Subbed off 67′ |
| 19 | Jadon Sancho | Assist (15′), Subbed off 67′ |
| 7 | John McGinn (c) | Goal (15′), Subbed off 67′ |
| 27 | Morgan Rogers | Subbed off 77′ |
| 11 | Ollie Watkins | Goal (68′), Subbed off 87′ |
West Ham Starting XI
| # | Player | Notable |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mads Hermansen | GK |
| 29 | Aaron Wan-Bissaka | Yellow card (45′), Subbed off 83′ |
| 15 | Konstantinos Mavropanos | |
| 4 | Axel Disasi | |
| 12 | Iliman Diouf | |
| 28 | Tomas Soucek | Subbed off 83′ |
| 32 | Flynn Potts | Subbed off 45′ |
| 18 | Manuel Fernandes | |
| 20 | Jarrod Bowen (c) | |
| 11 | Valentin Castellanos | Subbed off 45′ |
| 19 | Pablo Pereira de Jesus |
Substitutes
Aston Villa Substitutes
| # | Player | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Marco Bizot | |
| 5 | Tyrone Mings | |
| 8 | Youri Tielemans | Subbed on 67′ |
| 10 | Emiliano Buendia | Subbed on 77′ |
| 18 | Tammy Abraham | Subbed on 87′ |
| 21 | Douglas Luiz | Subbed on 67′ |
| 22 | Ian Maatsen | |
| 26 | Lamare Bogarde | |
| 31 | Leon Bailey | Subbed on 67′ |
West Ham Substitutes
| # | Player | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Alphonse Areola | |
| 2 | Kyle Walker-Peters | |
| 3 | Max Kilman | |
| 9 | Callum Wilson | Subbed on 45′ |
| 17 | Adama Traore | Subbed on 45′ |
| 27 | Seko Magassa | Subbed on 83′ |
| 30 | Oliver Scarles | |
| 55 | Mohammed Kanté | Subbed on 83′ |
| 49 | Finley Herrick |
- Aston Villa made five substitutions in total, rotating freely with the result secured
- West Ham made three changes at half-time, reflecting significant tactical difficulties
- Bowen captained a West Ham side that offered little in the final third
- Villa’s defensive shape remained solid throughout, with Martinez rarely tested
