Image source, Getty Images

Aston Villa are unbeaten in eight Premier League games in London under Unai Emery (W6 D2), winning the last four in a row, having lost eight of their previous nine under Steven Gerrard and Dean Smith. It’s their longest run without defeat.

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Listen to all of the action for the only Premier League match of the day on BBC Radio 5 Live Extra from 13:55 GMT as Aston Villa look to strengthen their grip on the top four when taking on West Ham.

• Listen to West Ham v Aston Villa here

Image source, Getty Images

Ollie Watkins has scored a brace in his last two Premier League away games, doing so in a 2-1 win at Fulham and a 3-2 win at Luton. Only two players have ever scored multiple goals in three consecutive away appearances in the competition – Dennis Bergkamp (September 1997) and Harry Kane (September 2017).

Image source, Getty Images

I used to somewhat cringe at the 'the Premier League is the best in the world' line that would often be thrown around - but with current performances in all three European competitions it does feel that way at the moment doesn't it?

Could the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League all be won by English sides this season? And which competition will today's two sides be in next year - if any? Let us know your thoughts...

The FA Cup served up a genuine classic in Wolverhampton yesterday - how about today?

Chelsea have just taken the lead against Leicester live on the BBC - watch that one here - before Manchester United host Liverpool at 15:30 GMT.

West Ham make just two changes from the side who handed out a hiding to Freiburg - Alphonse Areola returns in goal and Emerson is fit enough to play at left-back ahead of Aaron Cresswell.

West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Mavropanos, Zouma, Emerson Palmieri, Alvarez, Soucek, Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Kudus, Antonio. Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Cresswell, Ward-Prowse, Phillips, Ings, Ogbonna, Aguerd, Earthy.

Aston Villa had an injury concern over key striker Ollie Watkins but he is fit. John McGinn starts a suspension and Ezri Konsa, Clement Lenglet, Youri Tielemans and Jhon Duran all come in from the XI who started against Ajax.

Aston Villa: Martinez, Konsa, Lenglet, Torres, Alex Moreno, Bailey, Tielemans, Douglas Luiz, Rogers, Duran, Watkins. Subs: Cash, Diego Carlos, Digne, Chambers, Diaby, Zaniolo, Olsen,Kesler-Hayden, Iroegbunam.

Chris Sutton
Former Aston Villa striker

Sutton's prediction:1-2

Both these teams were in action in Europe on Thursday, and it is going to be interesting to see how much those ties take out of them - but I still think Aston Villa will win this one.

Villa have more quality than the Hammers, as they showed when they beat them 4-1 in October.

Unai Emery's side always create chances and, even in their 4-0 defeat against Tottenham last time out, if they had been more clinical then it would have been a very different game.

After a winless run of six Premier League games from the start of the year (D3 L3), West Ham have now won two of their last three (D1).

Only Arsenal (31) have scored more first-half goals than Aston Villa (29) in the Premier League this season, while only Manchester City (14) have been leading at half-time more often than the Villans (13).

Image source, Getty Images

It's only 10 months or so since West Ham won the Europa Conference League of course, and after their big win over Freiburg on Thursday night they will face Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen in the last eight of the Europa League. Big.

Image source, Getty Images

Villa's huge European night was a bit longer ago, it's 42 years to be precise since they beat Bayern Munich in the 1982 European Cup final.

After whalloping Ajax on Thursday they've been handed a Conference League quarter-final against Lille.

Image source, Getty Images

'...we know what we are/were/could be again in a few months, maybe.'

Image source, Getty Images

After two huge wins in the Europa League and Europa Conference League respectively on Thursday night, West Ham and Villa have to shake it all off and get back to Premier League action this afternoon.

Image source, Getty Images

This may be the only Premier League game on the cards today but David Moyes' side are seventh and Unai Emery's visitors fourth, so securing more European trips for next year remains very much on the agenda.

It's got all the ingredients of a cracker...