West Ham United have not beaten Aston Villa in the Premier League since a Pablo Fornals winner back in 2022, but Nuno Espirito Santo has tended to fare a little better up against Unai Emery.
Speaking during his pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, Nuno is relishing the chance to reunite with Emery and go head-to-head for the tenth time as head coaches.
The West Ham United boss first met the Aston Villa manager as far back as 2014, when the former was in charge of Valencia and the latter was accumulating Europa League winners’ medals like Infinity Stones at Sevilla.
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The likes of Carlos Bacca, Nicolas Otamendi, Paco Alcacer and Vitolo started that La Liga stalemate 11 years ago. A decade later, Nuno will be hoping Jarrod Bowen can break Aston Villa’s stride when West Ham play host to a side who have won eight successive games for the first time since before the first World War.
Unai Emery impressed by Nuno Espirito Santo’s impact at West Ham United
In their nine meetings, Nuno and Emery have triumphed three times apiece, with a trio of draws. Something has to give on Sunday, then.
But while Aston Villa have picked up 27 points from the last 30 available, compared to West Ham’s ten, Emery is not taking anything for granted.
“Of course, 38 matches, there are a lot of points to play [for], and a long way to be consistent and demanding like we are,” says the former Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal tactician. “But now, we are in December we are still feeling good, but each match is a test.
“And on Sunday is a huge test again against West Ham away, because they are progressively performing fantastic. They are really playing and competing much, much better than they did before Nuno.”
The Hammers have lost only one of their last six. And while they are still in the relegation zone heading into matchday 16, West Ham can leapfrog both Leeds and Nottingham Forest if results go their way.
Aston Villa boss expecting a ‘tough match’ at the London Stadium
Nuno is pleased with the progress made by his side. That 2-1 defeat by Leeds in October cemented their worst start to a season in 52 years.
But, since then, the man who took Wolves and Nottingham Forest into Europe has got his nails into an underperforming unit, settling upon his favoured system and helping to fix that debilitating set-piece problem.
“Nuno is really a very good coach,” adds Emery. “And how [Nuno’s sides] compete, my experience with him is always so, so difficult. Tough matches, defensively, offensively. They have a strong structure tactically. They are competitors, they are fighters like he is as a coach.
“If we are thinking more than the match on Sunday, for me, not make sense. It makes sense to try to set each match with our focus, and try to get our best.
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And is this a make-or-break spell for Ollie Scarles?
“It’s difficult because, firstly, West Ham now, they are feeling better. Much, much better. They are playing at home and they are feeling strong. They lost against Liverpool but they beat Burnley and Newcastle, and are playing fantastic.
“The last two matches they played away, they draw against Brighton, against Manchester United. It’s clear, how they are performing and competing now, much, much better.”
“Obviously, they’re not playing their best of seasons,” agrees midfielder Amadou Onana. “But we know that this West Ham team has a lot of individual quality.
“They will be playing at home so it’s always an extra motivation, so we’ll definitely try to get as ready as we can and face them in the best possible way.”
A nervousness is creeping into the Aston Villa camp ahead of Sunday’s 2pm kick-off. Goalkeeper Emi Martinez and centre-back Pau Torres are both injury doubts.
West Ham will have Aaron Wan-Bissaka and El Hadji Malick Diouf available for the last time, meanwhile, before they jet off for the African Cup of Nations. Fortunately, Ollie Scarles has returned to training at a very opportune moment.
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