Aston Villa, Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern Munich are monitoring Crystal Palace's 25-year-old France defender Maxence Lacroix. (Teamtalk), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty Images"His energy, his capacity to hold up the ball, his ability to keep the ball in possession" - as if to illustrate his point, Unai Emery patted his back pocket, rather in the manner of an old advert for a popular supermarket.
Any Aston Villa fan entering the radio interview room in this moment, and seeing this probably subconscious motion, would instantly have realised who the head coach was talking about.
For the second time in less than 72 hours, John McGinn had scored a goal to set Villa on course for an important win. "After it, we could get more passes and we could get in the attacking third better or easier through him," Emery added.
Most analysis of McGinn's contribution to Villa tends to focus on his personal qualities, as a leader of men and apparently inexhaustible supplier of energy, not to mention his trademark method of rolling round opponents.
That is all undoubtedly true, but it can obscure the other reason why he has remained a fundamental part of this team, as it moves up the levels with Emery: McGinn is no mere labourer, he is just as much a craftsman.
His technical ability was demonstrated once again by the precise finish he applied to an elegant free-kick routine.
With 67 minutes gone, McGinn took his leave to allow for another reassuring sight: the return of Youri Tielemans. Of the 11 first-team games he missed during his recent spell of injury, Villa won only four of them - three of which were in the Europa League. McGinn was also missing for eight of those matches.
It's no wonder then that Tielemans was cheered to the echo before he had even taken to the field at Villa Park.
"That reception is what you want as a player," Tielemans said post-match. "To be recognised like that, it's great to see." It must be because, like McGinn, Tielemans was soon gliding along.
A 25-minute pipe-opener against a subdued West Ham made for an ideal shift to dial himself back in.
The nervousness felt around Villa Park in recent weeks had gone by then. The band were coming back together and starting to play the hits. Spring has sprung in B6.
Ollie Watkins perhaps challenged his England national team omission, showing that he still has the instincts of a top striker by scoring a goal that was all instinct.
Villa's two paths to success this season will both still be clear when they reconvene after this international break.
And tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
Former Aston Villa and West Bromwich Albion striker Garry Thompson joins Steve Hermon in the studio for Friday's phone-in.
The show runs from 18:00-19:00 GMT and you can listen again on BBC Sounds afterwards - find all episodes here.
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Aston Villa Daily: Benefit from break?
Aston Villa will move for Manchester United's on-loan forward Marcus Rashford if they fail to sign winger Jadon Sancho, who is on loan from Manchester United but out of contract this summer. (SportsBoom, external)
Barcelona and Spain left-back Alejandro Balde, 22, is attracting interest from Aston Villa, Manchester United and Manchester City. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external
Sunderland could face a battle to keep on-loan RB Leipzig utility player Lutsharel Geertruida at the club next term, with Aston Villa, Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham and Crystal Palace all interested in the 25-year-old Netherlands international. (Teamtalk), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Nick Mashiter
Football reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa's Triston Rowe is attracting interest from Europe after a successful season in France.
The 19-year-old defender has been on loan at FC Annecy for his first taste of senior football.
Sources have told BBC Sport Rowe's performances have generated interest from across Europe for next season, with a return to France possible.
He could go out on loan again but Villa will assess him in the summer before making any final decision.
There remains potential he could stay at Villa to put pressure on current right-back Matty Cash, with a first-team place under Unai Emery one of Rowe's goals.
The youngster opted to go to France over going on loan to the EFL last summer to take himself out of his comfort zone.
V Sports, Villa's ownership group, has been in talks with Annecy over taking a 30% stake in the club and are expected to continue to send players to them on loan next season, with Rowe the first deal between the clubs.
He has played 22 times, scoring once, - appearing in 83% of the minutes for Annecy this term as they sit ninth in Ligue 2, seven points adrift of the play-offs.
The England Under-20 international's form earned him a nomination for Ligue 2 player of the month for February.
Rowe joined Villa as a 14-year-old, having started at West Bromwich Albion's academy.
He was part of the youth team which won the Under-18 Premier League South title, FA Youth Cup and the Under-18 Premier League final last season.
David Michael
Fan writer
Image source, PA MediaCast your mind back a couple of months and Aston Villa held a healthy double-digit points buffer in the race for Champions League qualification.
Considering their main competition for a top-five place included Liverpool,Chelsea and Manchester United, it always felt likely that cushion would be tested.
It was.
While Villa had the heart of their midfield ripped out by injuries to a trio of key players, also exposing a poor and confused summer transfer window, it was still surprising how little resistance they offered in certain games.
In some, they managed only a single shot on target. Before Sunday's match against West Ham, they were in the bottom three for form over the previous 10 games, with just nine points from a possible 30.
Manchester United had already overtaken them, while Chelsea and Liverpool had closed the gap to within striking distance.
It felt like the season was agonisingly slipping away.
In the space of a week, however, Villa's returning captain John McGinn has seemingly single-handedly re-energised a flagging side, helping to send them into a Europa League quarter-final and, with victory over the Hammers, capitalise on both Liverpool and Chelsea failing to win in successive league games.
Crucially, just as their points buffer looked set to finally expire, it has been topped up heading into the international break. With United, Liverpool and Chelsea all still to face each other, there are guaranteed points to be dropped.
With Youri Tielemans also back, there has been such a shift in mood around Villa that expectation has swung again. They should surely take care of business now.
Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external
Aston Villa are among several Premier League clubs considering a move for Paris St-Germain's Senegal forward Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, this summer. (Sky Sports), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesIt is 30 years to the day since Aston Villa won the League Cup by defeating Leeds 3-0 at Wembley.
Goals from Savo Milosevic, Ian Taylor and Dwight Yorke were enough for Brian Little's Villa to emerge victorious, two years on from Villa's 3-1 win over Manchester United in the 1994 final.
That success in 1996 remains Villa's most recent major domestic trophy.
Reminiscing about the match in an interview from 2025, goalscorer Taylor told BBC Radio WM: "It was just an unbelievable day.
"Funny things happen. I had been at the same cup final two years previous where we played against Manchester United as a fan and then two years later I'm playing in it and scoring.
"It was just nuts. Just to be there playing at Wembley was a massive thing, but to be winning there as well that was just amazing."
Midfielder Taylor's volley put Villa 2-0 up 10 minutes into the second half.
"Left foot as well," he added. "It was with my swinger. It was just the confidence going into that final - we knew we were going to win. The way we won as well - there was such a swagger.
"It was a brilliant day."
Manchester United and England winger Jadon Sancho, who is on loan at Aston Villa this season, has held talks with Borussia Dortmund about a return to the Bundesliga club on a free transfer, with the 25-year-old willing to take a pay cut. (Sky Sports Deutschland - in German), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column
Jess Anderson
BBC Sport journalist
Ollie Watkins' poor form has coincided with a tricky period for Villa in which they had won just two of their past 10 matches before Sunday's victory at Villa Park.
But he is not the only one going through a sticky patch, with the Villans scoring just 12 goals this calendar year and boasting one of the worst shot conversion rates in the league.
Watkins appeared completely determined to provide the spark his side needed against West Ham, leading the line brilliantly and constantly searching for opportunities.
Perhaps being left out of the England squad provided the perfect motivation for him to return to the scoresheet. Perhaps Thomas Tuchel even knew it would.
"Tuchel knows him pretty well and he's seen a bit of him already, so maybe not everybody who's left out [of the England squad] is completely out of his thoughts," said former Premier League midfielder Danny Murphy.
"Goals between now and the end of the season could easily get Watkins back in Tuchel's thoughts. I think that'll be a big relief for him to get back scoring and he's still got a lot of time to get his form right back up there because we know how good he is. All is not lost for him."
Watkins will now spend the international break resting and training in Birmingham, and Villa manager Unai Emery seemed well aware of the challenge facing the striker.
"He is a fighter. He is always doing his tasks and I am always delighted with him," he said.
"Then it's numbers. He scored, but he must be consistent in his mentality to do his tasks and get his numbers. To be in the national team is something every player wants, but he must continue working and give the coach trouble [picking] for the next World Cup."
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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and West Ham.
Here are some of your comments:
Aston Villa fans
Brian: An almost perfect first half and a great team performance. What a difference Super John McGinn makes, not just his ability on the ball, but as a motivational captain. So good to see Youri Tielemans back on the pitch. I have a good feeling about the rest of the season.
Mike: After all the recent poor performances, this was a much more confident team effort and a great result to set us up for the final part of the season. Great to see Tielemans back, and no surprise our midfield once again looks capable of controlling a game. Ollie Watkins thoroughly deserved man of the match. Bring it on!
Craig: Best performance of 2026. No hangover from midweek and with McGinn and Tielemans back, the task of the final games suddenly looks a lot less daunting. A bit more incisiveness in front of goal and we can fly.
Richard: Another solid performance against a West Ham team in form. Watkins was outstanding and McGinn showed why the team hasn't done so well without him. Having Tielemans back is a great boost to the team. With Chelsea,Manchester United and Liverpool all dropping points, it was just the tonic us Villa fans needed.
West Ham fans
Fraser: Disappointing but Villa bounced back with a strong performance after their recent struggles in the league and were a formidable opponent. I still think we will continue to improve under Nuno Espirito Santo and escape relegation - hopefully at the expense of Spurs.
Richard: How can a team that needs points so badly, with an opportunity of getting some against a team lacking form, play with so little energy or fight and find it so difficult to string a series of passes together? We were dismal.
Chris: Poor day away from home, lacking the energy and bite from previous games and sharp passing. Villa came through the midfield too easily and we were sloppy in possession. Even Jarrod Bowen had a poor game by his standards, losing the ball in the run-up to Villa's second. Need to use the break to get back on track, but belief is still there.
Sue: This match was disappointing as we didn't play well like we have in the past few matches. Aston Villa are a very good team and at home they are hard to beat, so we must be positive for the next few games.
Pundits Danny Murphy and Joe Hart join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.
And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery speaking to Sky Sports after their 2-0 win over West Ham : "It is very difficult to win matches in the Premier League. Today, I am delighted with how the players responded. We set them a challenge, not only to win but to feel confidence in our structure. In the first half it was maybe the best half we have played here this year.
"We stopped them and we did everything like we planned. We needed at home to recover our confidence and energy, to be consistent over 90 minutes and to win. We are very motivated for the rest of the season, for the Europa League and to be in the top positions in the league.
"We are working a lot on set pieces, and the players response was fantastic. The objective after the break is to keep doing what we are doing now."
On Ollie Watkins: "He is a fighter and today he played a fantastic game. He deserved to score. He was fighting with the centre back and was close to scoring. He was pushing and helping us be in the attacking third. Holding up passes offensively and then he had to get in the opponents box to score the sort of goal he got.
"Now he must be focused with us to recover his confidence and numbers. Getting his numbers again, he will be close to being back with the national team."
Hear more from Emery on BBC Sounds
Did you know?
This was Aston Villa's 200th Premier League clean sheet at Villa Park, becoming the eighth different club to keep 200+ home clean sheets in the competition.
Jess Anderson
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesIt is perhaps no coincidence that Aston Villa's recent slump has also coincided with John McGinn missing 10 games with a knee injury.
In that time they went out of the FA Cup, and lost three league matches as well as drawing another two.
So the Villa captain's presence was a welcome one in midfield and it was not just the Scot who seemed desperate for Villa to get back to winning ways.
Ollie Watkins led the line brilliantly as he tried to show England manager Thomas Tuchel what he is missing.
The striker's recent record has been dismal - just one goal in his previous nine matches - but he showed his quality here to push his claims to be England's favoured striker behind only Harry Kane.
The sole criticism was that Villa only made one of their 14 chances - the most they have had in a Premier League first half since October 2023 - count by half-time.
The contest was more even in the second half but it never felt like Villa were at risk of throwing away the three points.
They have been made to rue missed opportunities of late with the worst shot conversion rate in the league this calendar year.
But this was a more efficient display with two goals and a 200th Premier League clean sheet at Villa Park.
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Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.
Have your say on Aston Villa's performance
What did you make of West Ham's display?
Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery makes three changes to the side that lost to Manchester United last weekend in the Premier League.
Tyrone Mings, Emiliano Buendia and Lamare Bogarde drop to the bench. In come Matty Cash, Pau Torres and Jadon Sancho.
Aston Villa XI: Martinez, Cash, Konsa, Barkley, McGinn, Watkins, Digne, Pau, Sancho, Onana, Rogers
Subs: Bizot, Mings, Tielemans, Buendía, Abraham, Luiz, Maatsen, Bogarde, Bailey.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side are unchanged from the 1-1 draw against Manchester City last time out.
Winger Crysencio Summerville remains sidelined with a calf injury after the club had hoped he would return today. The Hammers have not won any of the six league games where they have been without him in 2025-26.
West Ham XI: Hermansen, Disasi, Castellanos, Diouf, Mavropanos, Fernandes, Pablo, Bowen, Todibo, Soucek, Wan-Bissaka
Subs: Areola, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Wilson, Adama, Magassa, Scarles, Potts, Kante.
There are three games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.
Newcastle v Sunderland (12:00)
Aston Villa v West Ham - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra
Tottenham v Nottingham Forest - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live
Kick-off 14:15 GMT unless stated
Follow all of the action and reaction here
And follow Arsenal v Man City in the Carabao Cup final here (kick-off 16:30)
You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Aston Villa v West Ham" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Spurs v Nottingham Forest".
Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds
Aston Villa have lost their past three Premier League games, while West Ham are showing plenty of resilience and have been picking up points.
Morgan Rogers scored a couple of crackers when Villa fought back to beat the Hammers earlier in the season and this is going to be just as close.
Villa boss Unai Emery is cutting a frustrated figure at the moment with their loss of form, but they are still in fourth place.
They are going to get back on track at some point and, if they can keep Jarrod Bowen quiet, then I see them edging this one at home.
Sutton's prediction: 2-1
Top-four side Aston Villa take on bottom-three team West Ham on Sunday (14:15 GMT) but neither's recent form reflects their current league standing.
Villa's goal struggles
After ending 2025 with a run of 11 consecutive wins in all competitions, Aston Villa's fortunes have taken a new-year dive.
Villa have earned just nine points from their past 10 Premier League matches. In midweek they reached the quarter-finals of a major European competition for the third consecutive season, but this weekend they could lose a fourth league game in a row, something boss Umai Emery has never suffered in his entire managerial career.
The Villans were the joint-fifth highest scorers in the Premier League between last August and December with 30 goals, but no side has scored fewer than the 10 they have managed so far in 2026.
While Villa rank fifth-highest for shots and chances created during that time, they have the worst shot conversion rate. Their xG is only 14th best, which is indicative of the fact they're not creating high-quality chances.
Ollie Watkins (one goal in his last nine league games) and Emiliano Buendia (one in his last 15) are out of form while top scorer Morgan Rogers is being smothered by the opposition. The return of captain John McGinn from a two-month injury absence looks like it has come at just the right time.
In the run-up to Christmas when Villa were on their winning run, football experts were suggesting they were genuine title contenders., external But their turndown in domestic form has left them in a real battle to stay in the top four.
Hammers' cause for optimism
While Villa have faltered in the Premier League over the past couple of months, West Ham have found a new lease of life, and last weekend's draw against Manchester City meant they spent a night outside the relegation zone for the first time since the beginning of December.
It was a brief respite of fewer than 24 hours, but 15 points from their last nine league games (W4, D3, L2), is one more than they had earned in their first 21 this season (W3, D5, L13).
And they remain in the drop zone only on goal difference as they are level on points with Nottingham Forest, having been seven points from safety in January.
With the Hammers also still alive in the FA Cup, it means they have lost only two of their last 12 games in all competitions.
In the draw against City, West Ham scored with their only effort on goal, a header from Konstantinos Mavropanos. The Greek centre-back epitomised a fighting spirit that should help the Hammers' cause, making a game-high 10 clearances and four interceptions, as well as blocking an Erling Haaland shot full in the face.
That hard-earned point came in a match in which they were without the in-form Crysencio Summerville, who was nursing a calf injury. The winger, who has had seven goals and an assist across his last 13 games, is hoping to be fit for Sunday, another boost for West Ham, who haven't won any of their six league games without him in 2025-26.
