Team News:
Aston Villa (10th, 27 points)
Gabby Agbonlahor is expected to return from a foot injury, but captain Ron Vlaar will sit out with a hamstring problem.
Defenders Chris Herd and Joe Bennett could feature after recovering from injury.
West Ham United (18th, 22 points)
Andy Carroll begins a three match suspension, which could pave the way for Marco Borriello to make his Hammers debut.
Loanee Pablo Armero could also make his debut for West Ham, while Winston Reid could make his first start since returning from a foot injury.
Pre-match quotes:
Paul Lambert, Aston Villa manager…
“It’s a massive game for us. We are at home and we have been playing well of late. It’s important to take that form into your next match.
“If we win this one it’ll certainly give us that gap. There are many teams down there but we are sitting on top of that group.
“West Ham will provide a hard game. We had tough matches against them last year and earlier this season too. You have to earn the right to win. They have a physical aspect, but they have some good players, good footballers.”
Sam Allardyce, West Ham United manager…
“This is our best spell of the season at the moment, a four-game run with seven points on the board, and we have to try and continue on from there.
“We’ve got to go to Aston Villa and hopefully keep eleven players on the field and not get any more injuries. That is key to continuing our successful results at the moment.”
Last 10 meetings:
Match in Numbers:
150 – Carlton Cole could make his 150th league start for the Hammers.
6 – Villa are unbeaten in their last six home meetings with the Hammers.
56 – The percentage of goals Villa have conceded in the first-half this season.
6 – Villa have scored in their last six league matches.
4 – West Ham have taken four points from their last two away games, having lost their previous five in a row.
11 – The Hammers have kept 11 clean sheets this season, which is the joint highest in the top-flight with Arsenal.
3 – If they avoid defeat, West Ham will have gone three games unbeaten for the first time this season.
50 – If he plays, Ricardo Vaz Te will make his 50th appearance for the Hammers.
50 – Mohamed Diame could make his 50th league start for West Ham.
Score Predictions:
@WestHamWorld 1-1
— Nick (@nickcollier1) February 7, 2014
@WestHamWorld i can see a 0-0 draw
— Basheer Hadi (@BasheerHadi) February 7, 2014
@WestHamWorld a cheeky 2-0 win
— Billy Bentham (@Billybentham) February 7, 2014
@WestHamWorld 2-1 us. Noble and Borriello. Weimann for Villa.
— IG: WHUHARRY (@TheEssexHammer) February 7, 2014
@WestHamWorld Carroll or no Carroll 1-3 hammers.
— Francis campbell (@FrancisWestHam) February 7, 2014
@WestHamWorld 0-1 to us 🙂
— WHUview (@WHUview) February 7, 2014
Head-to-Head (all competitions):
| Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | GD +/- | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 114 | 40 | 35 | 39 | 171 | 170 | +1 | 35.09% |
