Aston Villa, currently 4th, are desperate to snap a three-game losing run. West Ham, sitting 18th, arrive with a newfound defensive resilience under Nuno Espirito Santo, having recently drawn 1-1 with Manchester City.

Unai Emery is expected to make tactical changes, potentially replacing the inaccurate Ollie Watkins with January signing Tammy Abraham. West Ham’s strategy centers on a disciplined 3-4-1-2 formation designed to neutralize Villa's speed in half-spaces.

Villa has won 60% of their home fixtures this season and has avoided defeat in 21 of their last 26 home matches against the Hammers. The key battle will be in wide areas, where Villa's wing-backs must overlap to create gaps in West Ham's three-man defense.

Predicted lineups:

Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Bogarde, Konsa, Torres, Digne; Onana, Barkley; McGinn, Rogers, Sancho; Abraham.

West Ham (3-4-1-2): Hermansen; Mavropanos, Disasi, Todibo; Wan-Bissaka, Soucek, Fernandes, Diouf; Bowen; Pablo, Castellanos.

Notes: Matty Cash returns to the Villa squad; West Ham’s Crysencio Summerville is sidelined until April.