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Gossip: Villa reject Hammers' Duran offerpublished at 07:27 15 January
07:27 15 January
Aston Villa have rejected a bid in the region of £40m from West Ham for striker Jhon Duran. (Talksport, external)
Celtic are one of several clubs interested in signing Villa forward Louie Barry on loan. (Sky Sports, external)
keen on Nurnberg striker Stefanos Tzimas, 19, with the Greek forward potentially available for about £20m and also attracting interest from Chelsea, Brighton and Liverpool. (Sky - in German, external)
Emery on injuries, transfers and Evertonpublished at 14:51 14 January
14:51 14 January
Katie Stafford BBC Sport journalist
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Premier League game at Everton (kick-off 19: 30 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
Emery confirmed Pau Torres, John McGinn and Ross Barkley are unavailable. McGinn needs another week before he returns to training, Barkley will be "two- to-three weeks" and Torres a further six-to-eight weeks.
On Villa's aims in the transfer window: "We are trying to do some movement. We are alert, and we always want to be ready to improve our squad with the players and of course sometimes as well, some players want to leave for different circumstances."
With David Moyes taking charge of Everton for the first time since his return as manager, Emery noted: "The crowd and Everton players will be very motivated. We have to try and focus on our match and our gameplan."
On Villa's away form given they have won only three of nine Premier League games on the road this season: "Playing away [has been] more difficult. Our challenge is how we can compete away, because the last matches that we have played away in the Premier League, we didn't get any points."
He said the game provides a chance "to try to change the bad results we have achieved".
Emery said in order for Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen to sign for Villa, Jaden Philogene must leave. He said: "Of course, it's a change. A clear change. One player leaving, one player joining us."
The 'vulnerabilities' that need addressingpublished at 08:16 14 January
08:16 14 January
David Michael Fan writer
Image source, Getty Images
The last two weeks of January will play an influential part in shaping Aston Villa's season.
First, Villa must address their away form, which is fast becoming a glaring issue. Ranked 14th in the Premier League for points gained on the road, their five consecutive away league losses have highlighted vulnerabilities that need addressing.
This week's trips to Everton and Arsenal present an immediate opportunity to reverse their fortunes. If Villa are serious about securing European football next season, they will be targeting at least three points from the two games.
A third consecutive away trip sees them travel to Monaco in the Champions League, in the first of their two concluding group games this month.
Currently sitting fifth in the Champions League table, Villa must aim for a minimum of four points that will hopefully secure a top-eight finish and a coveted last-16 spot.
Not only would this guarantee an extra 10m euro (£8.4m) in prize money, but it would also free up February's schedule of Champions League commitments. Otherwise, a congested calendar - including a potential 48-hour turnaround between an FA Cup tie against Tottenham and a European play-off game - could complicate and potentially derail Villa's progress on multiple fronts.
The January transfer window is also finally heating up. A deal for Borussia Dortmund forward Donyell Malen has been reported as a done, but Villa will also be hopeful that PSR can be navigated and a move for at least one much-needed defensive reinforcement can be completed.
With so much at stake, these next two weeks are a pivotal step to increasing the stakes at the business end of Villa's season.
Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham - the fans' verdictpublished at 12:51 11 January
12:51 11 January
Image source, Getty Images
We asked for your thoughts after Friday's FA Cup tie between Aston Villa and West Ham.
Here are some of your comments:
Aston Villa fans
Davey: Slow start and dire first half, and Irons got out the traps quickly with the Graham Potter bounce. Second half we were on it and Amadou Onana made a difference in midfield. Ollie Watkins industrious as ever! Good win on our 150 years.
Richard: In some ways, a great Villa performance. Able to adjust tempo now, and clearly adapt to opposition. Ian Maatsen went well. Great to see Jacob Ramsey fit again, and really pleased for Robin Olsen, who often draws the short straw. Ollie grew into things too. Not sure a long cup run is needed, but who knows. Like the anniversary shirt too.
Jason: One corner was given and a previous one wasn't. These things happen. The best team won in the end. UTV.
West Ham fans
Bill: Thought that the West Ham performance was much better than of late. Think we should have at least ended in a draw and chanced our luck with penalties. Shame the ref and linesman got it wrong to allow Villa to get their equaliser but that's football for you. I'm optimistic that the Hammers can push on in the Premier League now.
Stpehen: A significant and immediate improvement. High press in first half was effective but may have affected the team's last 20 minutes. The team's younger talent shone through, though it exposed a couple of the older members who will be gone by the end of the season. Great evening for Oliver Scarles and Crysencio Summerville. Even Lucas Paqueta seemed reinvigorated. Score not that relevant in this instance. Importance of clear language and instructions so important with managers. Well done, Potter.
Garry: I've been a West Ham fan through the dark times and good but Friday I saw a lot of positives and it was a typical game of two halves. First half, West Ham were good but the injuries took the sting out of the game and Villa took control. Overall, for a manger who only had little preparation with the team, the signs look good.
When is the FA Cup fourth-round draw?published at 10:00 11 January
10:00 11 January
Image source, Getty Images
The FA Cup third round is well under way, with Premier League sides Everton, Fulham and Aston Villa the clubs already booking their places in the fourth-round draw with wins on Thursday and Friday.
But for other sides hoping for a healthy cup run this season, when will the draw take place?
The draw will be live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer following the conclusion of the Arsenal v Manchester United tie, which kicks off at 15:00 GMT on Sunday.
It will include 32 teams - with all third-round matches this weekend settled on the day - and the resulting ties will be played over the weekend commencing Saturday, 8 February.
Aston Villa v West Ham: Sutton's predictionspublished at 13:51 10 January
13:51 10 January
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.
Aston Villa v West Ham: Did you know?published at 08:18 10 January
08:18 10 January
Image source, Getty Images
This 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.
Gossip: Villa move for Caen teen Gomispublished at 08:08 10 January
08:08 10 January
Aston Villa have entered negotiations with Ligue 2 club Caen for French 18-year-old forward Tidiam Gomis. (L'Equipe - in French, external)
Emery on McGinn, Philogene's future and being 'contenders' for the FA Cuppublished at 14:38 9 January
14:38 9 January
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."
What is not being talked about at Villa?published at 13:25 9 January
13:25 9 January
Image source, Getty Images
We 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.
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.
