Aston Villa came from behind to beat West Ham 3-2 at the London Stadium, and the result says a lot about where Unai Emery’s team stands in the Premier League right now. Villa fell behind in under 30 seconds, went into halftime trailing once again, and still headed home with all three points, a ninth straight win and third place secured in the table.
The impact of the result was immediate. Aston Villa moved to 26 points, stayed among the league’s top sides and confirmed they’re not up there by chance. On top of that, they beat West Ham away in back-to-back league visits for the first time since 1996, a historical detail that helps put the current run into perspective.
Chaos, intensity and costly mistakes
The game started in the worst possible way for Villa. With less than 30 seconds on the clock, Mateus Fernandes won the ball from Ezri Konsa inside the box and fired a powerful shot from a tight angle, leaving Bizot with no chance. It was the fastest goal in the Premier League this season and instantly handed West Ham the emotional upper hand.
Villa’s response, though, came quickly. The team didn’t lose its shape and eight minutes later found the equalizer in a move that blended persistence with a bit of luck. John McGinn delivered a cross into the area, Ollie Watkins won the aerial duel, and the ball deflected off Mavropanos’ head before going in. An own goal, but one created by Villa’s attacking presence as they began to spend more time in the home side’s half.
Even so, the first half remained uncomfortable for the visitors. West Ham played with intensity, pressed high and regained the lead in the 24th minute. Villa failed to clear their lines, Freddie Potts took a shot and Bowen got a touch to send the ball into the net, with Bizot already beaten.
Villa tried to respond before the break but struggled against the pace set by the hosts. Morgan Rogers came close with a dangerous effort in stoppage time, but the whistle blew with West Ham ahead once again.
A mature response and Morgan Rogers delivers
The second half opened with a different Aston Villa, more aggressive and willing to push West Ham back. Five minutes after the restart, that persistence paid off. Kamara found Tielemans with a sharp pass, the Belgian picked out Morgan Rogers inside the box, and the number 27 finished low into the corner, even with two West Ham defenders stationed on the goal line. It was the equalizer Villa had been chasing since late in the first half.
From there, the game opened up. West Ham tried to regain control and even thought they had taken the lead again, only for a Bowen goal to be ruled out for offside. But Villa looked more comfortable in the chaos. The introduction of Donyell Malen added fresh energy going forward, and Areola was forced into action to deal with dangerous shots.
The turnaround came once more through Morgan Rogers. The midfielder picked up the ball at the edge of the box and, with calm confidence, curled a precise effort into the top corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance. A goal that reflected both his current form and a team that believes until the very end.