Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?
Have your say on Aston Villa's performance
What did you make of West Ham's display?
Come back to this page on Saturday to find a selection of your replies
BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton has made his predictions for all 32 FA Cup third round games and given his verdict on who will make it into round four.
For this week's matches he is up against actor and musician Billy Bob Thornton, who is a Liverpool fan.
Sutton's prediction: 2-1
Julen Lopetegui never felt like the right fit for West Ham, and we are about to find out whether Graham Potter can do any better.
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery is still fighting on the European front in the Champions League, as well as trying to get back in it for next season.
That has placed huge demands on his squad already - so you could argue that they don't need a cup run too - but I still think they will go through, especially because West Ham are badly missing the injured Jarrod Bowen up front.
Billy's prediction: 2-1
Image source, Getty ImagesThis is the first FA Cup meeting between Aston Villa and West Ham since March 1980, with the Hammers edging the quarter-final tie 1-0 on their way to winning the trophy.
Aston Villa have entered negotiations with Ligue 2 club Caen for French 18-year-old forward Tidiam Gomis. (L'Equipe - in French, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Nat Hayward
BBC Sport journalist
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Friday's FA Cup third round game at home to West Ham (20:00 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Emery confirmed John McGinn will not be available for the game but did not offer an answer when questioned over whether his captain is likely to return next week.
On Jadon Philogene, who is set for a £20m move to Ipswich, Emery said: "I believe in Jadon Philogene but we are always trying to get the best for the club and the squad and the players. If he is leaving it is because he is good for those three options."
Emery added "the club is working" in the transfer market.
On what the FA Cup means to his side: "Our objective is to be contenders for the trophy and of course the winner next year will play in the Europa League. We are home as well. Our objective is clear for the second part of the season."
He wants a better performance in the competition than he has seen in his first two campaigns in charge: "Tomorrow the idea is to be competitive and to start performing better than the last two years and trying to get through this competition. It is one option for a trophy and one option for Europe."
On the Hammers and their news boss Graham Potter: "West Ham have very good players, it is a good club as well. It is not good news when they are changing the coach but we are going to respect West Ham and respect Potter because he was successful coaching before in England, he has experience, and I think he is going to do good work."
Villa will be marking their 150th anniversary and Emery said: "I spend my life here. At the moment two years but hopefully for a long time. It is something important in my life as a coach and as well living here and chatting with our supporters and everything for the history they have. We are trying to do something important now in different competitions. I am very proud of the history they and the history we can create."
Follow all of Thursday's FA Cup news conferences and the rest of the day's football news
Listen to full commentary of Aston Villa v West Ham at 20:00 on Friday on BBC Radio 5 Live
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked you to tell us one thing - good or bad - that nobody seems to be talking about at Villa Park.
Here are some of your comments:
Bobby: The whole club is built around Unai Emery - when he goes, and he will at some point, the whole infrastructure goes with him. It could be a disaster.
Ian: A few good additions will put us in a great place and I am sure Unai will know what he needs to improve the team. My biggest concern is the redevelopment of Villa Park, or should I say the lack of. We need to reinstate the development of the North Stand and we should fill in the corners at the Holte End, which I am sure would increase our capacity to the 60,000 we need to compete at the top end of the Premier League and can help in reducing the very expensive ticket prices - a win-win all round.
Prit: I think we should now be seriously considering whether it is time to cash in Ollie Watkins. We have a younger Jhon Duran, hopefully Louie Barry will get some good experience in the Championship and be ready next season, so why not cash in on Watkins now?
Pauline: Watkins has been a let-down this season. More missed chances and a few assists does not make us a definite European contender next season. Think we will end mid-table!
Oz: The amount of goals we are conceding is a worry. We need a new right-back because Matty Cash is a liability. Keep Ezri Konsa and Tyrone Mings in the centre and give Ian Maatsen a continuous run of games.
Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa's Jaden Philogene is due for a medical at Ipswich ahead of a permanent move to Portman Road.
The winger is expected to complete the switch for around £20m plus add ons, ending his brief six-month return to Villa Park.
Philogene also had European interest, including from La Liga, but Ipswich are due to finally end their pursuit of the England Under-21 international.
They agreed a fee of around £18m with Hull in the summer only for Villa to activate their buy-back option - having sold Philogene to the Tigers in 2023.
Hull received about £13.5m of the fee because Villa had a 30% sell-on clause in the agreement which took him to the KC Stadium.
The 22-year-old chose to rejoin Unai Emery's side but has managed just four starts, including against Bayern Munich in the Champions League, and 11 substitute appearances.
Ipswich maintained their interest and have now convinced Philogene - who was keen on working with boss Kieran McKenna last summer - to move to Suffolk.
The Tractor Boys are looking to add to their squad as they battle for survival and have already signed defender Ben Godfrey on loan from Atalanta.
Aston Villa are tracking Borussia Dortmund's English winger Jamie Jermaine Bynoe-Gittens, 20. (Caught Offside), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
After a shaky run of form at the end of 2024, Aston Villa started off the New Year strongly with a victory against a struggling Leicester side.
Next for the Villains is West Ham, who may have a new manager by the time Friday's fixture kicks off. Unai's Emery's men will be looking to capitalise on the Hammers' uncertainty and book their place in the FA Cup fourth round.
As we pass the halfway point of the season, we want you to tell us the one thing -good or bad - that no-one is talking about right now?
Have your say - and come back on Thursday for a selection of replies
Gary Rose
BBC Sport journalist
Image source, Getty ImagesWhen a goalkeeper hits the ball long, the success of it is very dependent on their team-mates picking up the second ball, otherwise possession is quickly conceded to the opponent.
Playing out from the back means the team with the ball is in control of play, but obviously there is more of the pitch to cover and more opposition players to play through.
Depending on the set up of the opposition, there are a variety of tactics a team can employ from a goal-kick.
Playing it short draws the opponent towards the attacking team's defenders which, in turn, creates space behind them.
If the attacking team is able to successfully exploit it, they can very quickly get up the pitch, with their opponents out of shape, and create a chance on goal.
Aston Villa did this to great effect against Manchester City on 21 December, with the ball taking just 14 seconds to go from the feet of goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez to the back of the opposition net for their first goal in a 2-1 victory.
The move for Aston Villa's opener against Manchester City last month starts with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez passing to Youri Tielemans
Tielemans, with the ball and his back to the opposition goal, spots Morgan Rogers making a run on the left
Tielemans' brilliant pass splits open the Manchester City defence, which has pushed high up, and Rogers is away with Jhon Duran in support
Rogers then races towards the box before playing a pass to Duran, who fires home
Mike Taylor
BBC Radio WM reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesIf Unai Emery sounded a little worn out in the radio interview room last Saturday, you could hardly blame him. He was by no means the only one.
On a grimly cold afternoon, a slow-paced game had done little to stir the blood for long spells and, while reporters fidgeted about getting home before the forecast snow arrived, Emery had another injury to a key player on his mind.
"I think it's hamstring," he explained of John McGinn's withdrawal in the first half. "Hopefully not a lot, but I don't know exactly if two, three or four weeks he could be out of the team."
McGinn's absence is unhelpful but not disastrous. Emery has enough midfielders with overlapping skillsets to cover adequately, although the team is certainly better when an in-form and fit McGinn is available.
The absence of Pau Torres for a longer period is a bigger problem, not least because Villa are not so well-stocked in defence. The unavailability of Diego Carlos last Saturday appeared to pick Emery's back four for him.
As David Michael argued persuasively on this page yesterday however, the enforced reunion of Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa as Villa's central defence is perhaps no bad thing in the short term. It may simplify Villa's style in possession, and place a greater emphasis on defensive sturdiness in a season when Villa have proved surprisingly brittle.
Callers to BBC Radio WM on their way home from the match were grudging in their praise, and having shivered among them, you took their point.
Back indoors later, there were reasons to be more generous. Without arguably their most significant player this season in the suspended Morgan Rogers, Villa eventually found other ways – Ross Barkley scored and had a hand in most of their best work.
Although Leon Bailey featured only occasionally, he showed the right instincts at the decisive moment of the match, sensing the chance to score a goal that might give his season belated spark.
For much of Emery's time in charge, Villa have won and been stylish. On dark midwinter days, one of those things is more important than the other.
Amid patchy form and without several key players, they avoided some of the traps that cost them points in previous weeks.
Sometimes, being just good enough is, well, good enough.
Tune into The West Midlands Football Phone-In from 18:00 on weeknights
Everton have opened talks with Aston Villa over a permanent deal for 22-year-old English winger Jaden Philogene. (Fabrizio Romano, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
David Michael
Fan writer
Image source, Getty ImagesAston Villa's defensive issues have been a persistent headache for Unai Emery in recent games, and with injuries to Pau Torres and John McGinn, the timing could not be worse.
Torres will miss two months with a broken metatarsal, while McGinn's hamstring injury will sideline him for up to five weeks. These absences come just as Villa need to improve their league form and approach crucial Champions League fixtures, adding further pressure on Emery to find solutions.
Torres' injury is particularly significant. Brought in to anchor Villa's build-from-the-back philosophy, he has been pivotal to Emery's system. However, Villa's defensive record has been far from convincing, summed up by them conceding more than two goals per game away from home this season.
While Torres' absence compromises the team's fluidity, it presents an opportunity to address a glaring issue: defensive solidity. Reintroducing the Tyrone Mings-Ezri Konsa partnership could offer the stability Villa need, especially in the Premier League.
McGinn's injury, though less impactful in terms of tactical disruption, might also offer up new opportunities. His role in the first XI has felt forced at times, with his inclusion often based on leadership and character rather than tactical fit.
Due to Villa's strength in the middle of the park, McGinn has been forced to play wider midfield roles, when his best position is more central. Jacob Ramsey's return from injury provides an opportunity for a more balanced midfield. Then there is also the potential utilisation of Ian Maasten on the left-hand side in front of Lucas Digne.
While these injuries are poorly timed, especially with Villa looking to snatch a top-eight spot in the Champions League table, they could force Emery to rethink his approach and prioritise a more solid defensive structure.
This reset could be key to solving the long-term defensive woes that have compromised Villa's season so far.
Find more from David Michael at My Old Man Said, external
Image source, AVFCAston Villa will be honouring their 150th anniversary with a special black kit that will be worn in the club's FA Cup fixture at home against West Ham on Friday.
The kit will be based on the first kits worn by the club before they transitioned to their more traditional claret and blue colours.
Villa became the first team in the UK to put a crest on their playing kit and their commemorative kit will have a crest inspired by the original that has been authentically redrawn.
Paris St-Germain are interested in signing Jhon Duran and it is believed Aston Villa could be tempted to sell the 21-year-old Colombia striker for £60m. (Talksport), external
Barcelona sporting director Deco has already met with Duran's representatives for informal talks to let the Aston Villa striker know he is on the radar of the Catalan club. (Sport - in Spanish), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and Leicester City.
Here are some of your comments:
Villa fans
Sam: Much better in the second half! It's encouraging to see players like Emi Buendia back on the pitch with Tyrone Mings also coming into form. Our challenge is to try and ensure consistency across the 90 minutes, but to be four points off fourth is a sign of how far Unai Emery has taken us. Let's hope this encourages some of our fans to be more positive.
Alex: It will do, considering we are missing some of our key players like Morgan Rogers, Jhon Duran and Pau Torres. A massive goal for Bailey, he desperately needed that. Barkley with an incredible performance and finish! A good three points to get back on track and start 2025.
Jay: Very laboured and we should have put them out of sight before they scored. Villa's second string are not looking strong or creative again. I'm particularly upset about no clean sheet again. There was a poor lay-off from Ollie Watkins - just to add to his bad finishing - and then Matty Cash compounded his own bad game by not charging at Stephy Mavididi.
Cassie: Deserved win but Villa still need a striker to put the ball in the back of the net. Mings showed his class today, just like Ross Barkley. At times, Villa showed too much lack of desire to finish off the game. I don't think Emery knows who his best 11 players are.
Leicester fans
James: A lack of quality in the attacking third, specifically Mavididi, and a costly mistake at the back by James Justin resulted in another defeat. The rot has now carried through into another year. A new right-back, winger and striker are urgently needed in January, otherwise the Championship and the dark abyss beckons.
JB: There has got to be a message sent out to players that if you can't safely play the ball out of the back, clear it upfield! You give up potential possession but alleviate the chances of losing the ball in your box and conceding a possible goal, hence the second goal. Going down it seems and we won't be straight back up either. Perhaps just as well. We need a complete rebuild, including the manager and maybe new owners. It appears to have grown stale. Keep the faith.
Paul: Same old! Justin needs to be taken out of the firing line. The amount of goals that come down our right side is embarrassing.
Tony: Five losses in a row. This is beyond a joke. I thought the idea of a new manager was to improve?
Ben Mundy
Final Score reporter at Villa Park
Image source, Getty ImagesOn face value, Saturday's result at Villa Park went with form.
Aston Villa extended their unbeaten home run in the Premier League to 10 games, while Leicester City succumbed to their fifth straight defeat.
But after the game, as I sat in the bumper-kissing traffic waiting to get on to the M6, I couldn't help but feel a little sorry for the Foxes.
They played well in large parts but just lacked a clear cutting edge. And yes I know Jamie Vardy was playing, but he barely touched the ball in the first half.
If Ruud van Nistelrooy's side are to avoid the drop, they will need more than a solitary goal threat.
Leicester and their manager almost executed the perfect gameplan. Sitting in and defending the edge of their box in the first half, emerging a minute earlier than Villa after half-time and starting the second period on the front foot.
But defensive frailties, notably tackling and clearing lines, proved their undoing.
If - and it is a big if - they can find the goals and fix those frailties, Leicester might just have enough to stay up. They clearly have a manager with a plan.
Aston Villa certainly do as well. There was no panic from Unai Emery on Saturday. He cut the coolest person inside Villa Park, despite having to wait an hour for an opening goal.
Striker Ollie Watkins told me before the game that he wanted Villa's 2025 to be a continuation of their 2024 exploits.
On this evidence, his New Year's resolution will be achieved.
