Villa through to the FA Cup fourth round following a comeback win against West Ham
Is there a better weekend in the footballing calendar than the FA Cup third-round weekend? Not for me. Maybe not so much so if you are an Aston Villa supporter, given our recent performances in the competition.
Most of us would have grown up with giant killings in the FA Cup and despite those in the Premier League undervaluing the competition, it is still something special for fans of all ages.
Throw in a home tie against Premier League West Ham and Villa’s 150th birthday celebrations and you have quite the spectacle.
Report: Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham
Unai Emery made a few changes to the side that beat Leicester last weekend as Robin Olsen replaced Emi Martinez who was rested due to a niggling injury. Morgan Rogers returned from suspension while Ian Maatsen was handed a start as Lucas Digne dropped to the bench.
The visitors were hoping the recent appointment of manager Graham Potter (who supported Villa as a boy) would turn their fortunes around in what has been a disappointing season so far.
Potter seemed to have the effect the Hammers fan would have been hoping when West Ham won the ball deep inside their own half in the opening minute of the game but Lucas Paquetá could only watch on as his effort went wide of Olsen’s goal.
The Hammers did find themselves ahead inside 10 minutes however when Max Kilman played a long ball upfield, find the head of Niclas Füllkrug who was able to nod the ball down to Mohammed Kudus. The Ghana International set Crysencio Summerville away down the right before cutting the ball back to Paquetá on the edge of the penalty area before slotting into the bottom corner.
Villa’s first-half performance was well below par and certainly not in the spirit of the 150th birthday celebrations.
Emery no doubt had words at the break and there seemed to be a tweak of the system they were playing as they looked the much better side in the second half.
They finally forced Łukasz Fabiański into a save just after the hour mark when Maatsen was allowed time to set himself before unleashing a powerful shot from range.
Villa’s domination and continued pressure soon paid off from a corner that was awarded from an Amadou Onana shot on goal. The referee thought there had been a deflection but replays showed this wasn’t the case.
Tyrone Mings was able to knock on the corner kick which fell to Ezri Konsa who laid the ball back for Maatsen but his shot was stopped by Fabiański who spilt the ball allowing Onana to tap in and pull the game level.
A few minutes later, Villa turned the game on its head. Emi Buendia won the ball and played Ollie Watkins through before the England International cut the ball back for Rogers who was able to make it 2-1. An ice-cold finish on an ice-cold night for the former Middlesborough man.
It could have been three a few minutes later when Watkins found substitute Jacob Ramsey but the Great Barr lad could only watch on as his effort crashed off the woodwork.
Villa will now be in the draw for the FA Cup fourth round with the draw taking place around 5pm on Sunday afternoon.