Aston Villa 1-1 West Ham United

Aston Villa were pegged back by West Ham United as the sides played out a feisty draw in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

Jacob Ramsey gave the hosts the perfect start after eight minutes when he netted his first top flight goal of the season, with Ollie Watkins’ assist going down as his 100^th goal involvement for the club in the Premier League.

Villa continued to press for a second in a one-sided first half, which saw the visitors fail to register a shot on target, before the tide turned after the interval.

The Hammers upped their game and eventually found an equaliser when Emerson headed home at the back post after 70 minutes.

A point at Villa Park extended the home side's unbeaten league run to five games and left them eighth in the table, with the squad now turning their attention to Wednesday's Champions League tie against Celtic. 

Villa welcomed the East London outfit back to B6 just 16 days on from beating them 2-1 in the FA Cup third round, with Unai Emery’s team keen to put a narrow loss to Monaco in midweek behind them.

Ramsey was the only change to the starting XI from that 1-0 defeat in the Champions League, replacing Emi Buendía, while new signings Andrés García and Donyell Malen were among the substitutes.

And it was Villa’s homegrown hero, Ramsey, who sent the home fans wild when he played a neat one-two with Watkins before bursting into the box and slotting the ball across Alphonse Areola and inside the far post to give his side the lead.

West Ham were on the ropes for the next few minutes as confidence surged through the home side, with Morgan Rogers seeing a goal disallowed for offside and Leon Bailey’s thunderous drive being parried away by Areola.

The visitors composed themselves but were still conceding chances as the half wore on, seeing Watkins plant a header on target before Youri Tielemans sent a low shot inches wide.

Tielemans and Watkins combined after 35 minutes as Villa continued their hunt for a second goal, the latter sending a header bouncing a yard past the post from the former’s free-kick.

There was a sombre moment soon after when Tyrone Mings limped down the tunnel following a late challenge, with the home crowd doing their best to lift his spirits as he was replaced by Ian Maatsen.

Lucas Digne moved into centre-back alongside Ezri Konsa and helped marshal his side through to a half-time lead, with the Hammers failing to register a shot on target.

West Ham got themselves on the front foot early in the second half, and when a cross was knocked down into the path of Lucas Paqueta, the Brazilian spun and lashed a shot just wide.

The rearguard action continued for the hosts as the visitors pushed for a leveller, finally registering a shot on target when Carlos Soler’s effort from a tight angle was cleared off the line by Ezri Konsa.

Jhon Durán and Malen were introduced for Watkins and Bailey just after the hour mark as Emery, who was watching from the stands as he served a one-game touchline ban, looked to turn the tide.

While Malen immediately sent a shot on target, the Hammers stayed on the offensive and pulled themselves level when Emerson ghosted in at the far post to head Edson Álvarez’s cross past Emi Martínez.

John McGinn made his return after a five-game absence through injury as the Villa skipper was brought on alongside Buendía, replacing Rogers and goalscorer Ramsey.

Tomás Soucek sent a header over the bar at one end and Durán slid a shot wide at the other as the game became increasingly stretched heading into the final ten minutes.

Former Villan Danny Ings whistled a half-volley inches wide and Buendía sent an effort flying into the Holte End as both teams pushed unsuccessfully for a winner.