Aston Villa vs West Ham United

Aston Villa ended a three-game losing streak in style, cruising to a 2-0 win over relegation-threatened West Ham at Villa Park. John McGinn opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a sweet left-footed strike from the edge of the box, finishing off a cleverly worked free-kick routine involving Matty Cash and Jadon Sancho. Ollie Watkins sealed it on 68 minutes, pouncing from close range after Morgan Rogers burst through and forced a save. Recently dropped from the England squad, Watkins delivered the perfect response. The Hammers barely threatened all afternoon, managing just one shot on target. The result lifts Aston Villa to 54 points — five clear of Liverpool in the battle for Champions League qualification with seven games to go. For West Ham, it is another grim afternoon that leaves them rooted in the relegation zone, just one point from safety.