Aston Villa vs West Ham LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction today

The Hammers consolidated their place inside the top four with a big win at Villa Park

Match Preview: Aston Villa vs West Ham on 31/10/2021

West Ham won 4-1 at Aston Villa to move into the top four in the Premier League and round off a wonderful week for David Moyes’ side.

The Hammers defeated London rivals Tottenham last weekend and reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup with a penalty shoot-out victory against holders Manchester City, before putting 10-man Villa to the sword.

Villa boss Dean Smith will feel everything that could go wrong did go wrong as his team slipped to a fourth successive Premier League defeat.

Long-range strikes from Ben Johnson and Declan Rice saw Moyes’ men head into half-time in front, after Ollie Watkins had equalised for the hosts.

Ezri Konsa’s red card shortly after the break gave Villa an uphill task and further goals from Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen inside the final 10 minutes settled the contest. Follow all the reaction live below:

Aston Villa vs West Ham

• 7 mins: Johnson fires West Ham in front with low shot past Martinez
• 34 mins: Watkins steers Villa level from Buendia cut-back
• 39 mins: Rice beats Martinez from range to restore West Ham’s lead
• 51 mins: Villa reduced to 10 men after last-man Konsa is sent off for challenge on Bowen
• 81 mins: Fornals finishes off West Ham counter after Bowen’s shot is saved
• 84 mins: Bowen scores West Ham’s fourth to add to Villa’s misery

[31 October 2021 17:52 · Jamie Braidwood]

Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

61 mins: Nakamba wins a couple of challenges in midfield to get the Villa crowd on their feet - they haven’t given up hope in this game.

West Ham are getting chances to break, however. On this occasion, Antonio was in acres of space and onside, but Fornals could not find the pass through the Villa defence.

[31 October 2021 17:48 · Jamie Braidwood]

Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

58 mins: That rouses the home crowd, but Villa are living dangerously at the other end. Targett gets across well to win the ball ahead of Fornals and deny West Ham a break. Fornals would have been through on goal if Targett had not made that challenge.

[31 October 2021 17:47 · Jamie Braidwood]

Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

57 mins: Villa hit the bar! Following a long throw, McGinn chips the ball into the box and Watkins meets it at the near post before powering an effort on target. It takes a fine fingertip stop from Fabianski to deflect it onto the bar.

[31 October 2021 17:45 · Jamie Braidwood]

Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

55 mins: Soucek tries his luck from range twice in quick succession. His first effort is blocked for a corner by Cash, while the second, rather more ambitious shot, flies over the bar. West Ham can probably be more patient than that.

[31 October 2021 17:42 · Jamie Braidwood]

Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

51 mins: Creswell's free kick is straight into the wall and Villa are able to clear. Tyrone Mings, who was dropped by Dean Smith for this match, is going to come on to plug the gap left by Konsa’s dismissal. Buendia is the player sacrificed. It’s an uphill battle for Villa here, West Ham must be smelling blood.

[31 October 2021 17:40 · Jamie Braidwood]

RED CARD! Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

49 mins: Hause is fine, but Konsa is off! Following a VAR check, the defender’s yellow card is upgraded to red for denying a goalscoring opportunity: Bowen was through on goal when he was taken down on the edge of the box.

[31 October 2021 17:38 · Jamie Braidwood]

Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

47 mins: This could be trouble for Villa... Bowen steals in to win the ball back for West Ham ham as the visitors break through Fornals. The Spaniard had Bowen in space on the right overruns the ball somewhat before he is clattered by Hause. He does manage to poke it forward to Bowen, who is brought down by Konsa on the edge of the box.

Konsa is booked, while VAR is looking at Hause’s challenge on Fornals.

[31 October 2021 17:34 · Jamie Braidwood]

KICK OFF! Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

We’re back underway at Villa Park!

[31 October 2021 17:31 · Jamie Braidwood]

HALF TIME: Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

Declan Rice gets off the mark in the Premier League this season following his strike shortly before half time.

Now with a goal and three assists so far this campaign, he’s already beaten his total of goal contributions from last season.

(Getty Images)

[31 October 2021 17:23 · Jamie Braidwood]

HALF TIME: Aston Villa 1-2 West Ham

Villa have been poor and their half was rather summed up by the fact that they conceded so soon after pulling level through Watkins. Martinez has to be questioned for both West Ham goals, with Johnson and Rice both finding the corner from range.

Dean Smith has a big half-time team talk coming up as his side look to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat in the Premier League.