Graham Potter returns to the scene of his first West Ham game as the Hammers go to Aston Villa in the Premier League and there’s some big team news.
West Ham’s trip to Aston Villa in the FA Cup a couple of weeks ago whetted the appetite about what might be to come under Graham Potter.
The Hammers put in their first half of football for over a year to lead Aston Villa 1-0 at half-time.
Injuries to Niclas Fullkrug and Crysencio Summerville exposed West Ham’s lack of depth, though.
It handed the impetus to Villa, who came back to win 2-1 and knock the Irons out.
That lack of squad depth has seen West Ham search high and low in the January transfer window for a new striker.
It saw a new set of beds for Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran, which were swiftly rejected.
Since that trip to Villa Park, West Ham have looked woefully short with Summerville and Fullkrug joining Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio on the sidelines.
There was plenty of encouragement for West Ham from that first game, though, especially around the performance of Summerville.
Potter’s side edged a 3-2 win over Fulham but were brought crashing down to earth in a 2-0 loss to Crystal Palace a few days later.
Hammers fans are convinced things will start to take shape when the new manager has the likes of Bowen and Summerville to work with.
Well it seems there could be some good news in that regard.
There has been a major West Ham boost as the duo have travelled.
Meanwhile Aston Villa have lost a top star but get one back just in time for the Premier League clash.
Both Summerville and Bowen are said to be in the travelling squad for the game at Villa Park.
Back on January 14th Hammers News revealed Bowen was on course for a planned return to the West Ham bench for Villa.
The medical team will assess the captain ahead of the game and decide, with the player and Potter, whether it is worth the risk.
But even having Bowen on the bench will be a monumental boost for West Ham.
Summerville will also be assessed but is deemed more likely to start the game.
There has also been good news for Potter from Villa.
Because West Ham bogeyman Amadou Onana – the midfielder who came close to joining under David Moyes – is out of the game.
Onana has scored both of Aston Villa’s 2-1 wins over West Ham this season.
His move to east London fell through when he demanded guarantees over being a starter. Guarantees Moyes refused to give.
There is some good news for Villa from Unai Emery ahead of the game, though.
Because the Spaniard has revealed his own captain, John McGinn, will be back in contention having trained ahead of the visit of West Ham.
Reports in the Midlands believe McGinn, who has been out with a hamstring strain since Villa’s 2-1 win over Leicester City at the start of January, may be used off the bench.
Onana is not the only key Villa player who will be missing against West Ham.
Emery is also without Pau Torres and Ross Barkley.
West Ham angered Villa with the timing of their £57m bid for Duran.
The news leaked just before Aston Villa played Monaco in the Champions League.
Former Hammer Thilo Kehrer did a good job keeping Ollie Watkins and Duran quiet as Monaco won the game.
After his move to West Ham fell through in the summer, Duran ended up scoring the winner against them in the opening game of the season.
The Hammers will be hoping history does not repeat itself.
West Ham could rise as high as 11th with a win. Aston Villa can close the gap on seventh-placed Bournemouth if they take all three points.
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