West Ham United 1-1 Aston Villa

Aston Villa extended their unbeaten run to three games with a hard-fought draw against West Ham United on Sunday.

Ollie Watkins became the second player to score in four successive Premier League away matches for Villa, emulating Dwight Yorke, when he nodded home the opener after 17 minutes.

Saïd Benrahma equalised from the penalty spot to send the sides in level at the break after Leon Bailey was adjudged to have fouled Lucas Paquetá.

A cagey second half was at odds with a frenetic first, but it nearly had a dream ending for the visitors when Jhon Durán’s close-range effort was kept out in the final minutes.

Chasing a third straight win, Unai Emery replaced the injured Boubacar Kamara with Bailey at London Stadium, moving captain John McGinn into central midfield to fill the void left by the Frenchman.

The Hammers, looking for a response after a 4-0 thrashing at Brighton last weekend, applied the early pressure and saw Nayef Aguerd bundle Declan Rice’s free-kick wide before Saïd Benrahma volleyed over when unmarked at the back post.

But it was Villa who hit the front when they took their first chance of the game. Álex Moreno was afforded the freedom of east London to measure a pinpoint cross to the middle of the box, where Watkins was waiting to head the ball past Alphonse Areola.

The goalscorer saved his side soon after, clearing Paquetá’s effort off the line. But the reprieve turned out to be temporary as Bailey nudged the Brazilian to the ground as they chased the loose ball.

Referee Chris Kavanagh pointed to the spot and Benrahma did the rest, emphatically thumping his spot kick past Emi Martínez.

The hosts’ aversion to closing Moreno down almost cost them for a second time just before the break, with the full-back cutting inside and sliding a ball to Jacob Ramsey. A first-time pass to Watkins left the striker with a golden chance from six yards out, but Areola came to West Ham’s rescue with a tremendous save.

On his 100^th appearance for the club, Martínez kept Benrahma from doubling his tally with a fingertip save ten minutes into the second half.

Emery turned to his bench and made a double switch just after the hour mark bringing on Lucas Digne and Bertrand Traore, who made his first outing for Villa since May last year, in place of Moreno and Bailey.

A low-key second half sprang into life when Emiliano Buendía was caught in the box by Rice, reigniting both sets of fans and players.

Villa’s penalty appeals amounted to nothing after a VAR check and the two sides set about chasing a winner in the final 20 minutes.

Substitute Ashley Young, who replaced Matty Cash, acted quickly to snuff out a West Ham winner with 84 minutes on the clock, deflecting Benrahma’s goalbound shot wide.

Fellow sub Jhon Duran came agonisingly close to his first Premier League goal when he connected with a corner in the final minute of normal time, watching on as his effort landed straight in Areola's gloves.