(Premier League 2023/2024): Highlights West Ham - Aston Villa

Kozuma leading out West Ham United. Aston Villa with a change of captain today. No John McGinn so Emi Martinez has the armband. What I'm saying about the press really it's too easy there for Tielemans to drop in on the half term receive the ball and and play forward even though there is West Ham players in the right area. Bailey Watkins has found a gap and looked for another gap at that near post but Areola wise to it. And you can't blame him normally in those positions. I'm saying can you cross it for a teammate but looking up here's Morgan Rodgers and Rodgers tempted to shoot and in the end did but not too troubling for Areola. Yeah and I understand why because it opens up for him. You see the movement here of his teammates around in Watkins and Duran. Here's Kudus as West Ham mount a rare attack all the way back to Thomas Sochek. So fouls ball across that found its way through to Bowen and it's deflected wide off Thomas Sochek Peketar getting the effort away. It's a brilliant ball. Bowen makes the break no one there but so foul denied by Martinez. I think so foul although he does ever so well initially with this shot I think he's frustrated look at him here he wants the ball he doesn't get it and he stops I think if he keeps going that's a tap in the back four of Villa they're struggling here Sochek so foul decent cross oh it had been coming they look dangerous down this right hand side and for David Moyes the reward is now a real one as Mikhail Antonio comes up with the goal his first in the Premier League since the first month of the season and for me this is all about the ball from that right hand side from so foul it's brilliant he's already put a really good ball in early in the game but this is even better you see exactly what he wants to do Spurs and Brentford they've won all four of their Premier League trips to the capital this season but again Villa give it away cheaply long lay this time Antonio frees Kudus and Kudus with the drive and they can't keep doing that Aston Villa it's as simple as that Kudus needs to be doing better though and hitting the target and they they know that they're not going to be dislodged from the shape not at the lack of tempo that Villa are moving the ball with here's Ollie Watkins to try and do something to liven Aston Villa up in this first half but nothing to cause Areola too much concern Bowen with a corner for West Ham and it's gone through and he's there again Antonio two for him two for West Ham United who are enjoying their taste of European football and are determined to be there again next season well I'm not surprised at this I think it's been a threat all game and you see Bowen the way he's whipped the balls in I imagine that VAR will take a look at it as always especially when keepers are involved but I think there's as much contact from the Villa captain on Antonio as the other way around certainly six or one and a half a dozen of the other I just think he's not strong enough well this is going to be news that disappoints West Ham because Jared Gillett is getting the message that this is going to be ruled out handball is the decision free kick to Aston Villa is the outcome Luiz goes short to Luca Digna, Bailey, Juri Tielemans and it's Diaby well the long ranger from Tielemans with something of a trademark in his Leicester days it is Paquita Martinez stayed in control he does well Martinez the way he gets across and now Bailey escapes Kudus in there dangerously it's Esri Consta now this is a wonderful ball by the way to the front post area Arriola does extremely well in it I think it might be just Ben Johnson there charging in across him Tielemans gets past Paquita right across from Diaby Zaniolo it's another substitution that pays off for Aston Villa those visiting fans elated as Arriola is finally beaten and it's 1-1 with more than 10 minutes left here's Bowen Kudus up ahead to his right still plenty of work to do here for Kudus taking on Consta but pulls it back Ward-Prowse rightly so the fist pump you saw it straight away how well does Kudus do there though Consta doesn't know which way he's going you're expecting the net to bulge to shine today James Ward-Prowse but we know this is his speciality and into an area that's exactly what they bought James Ward-Prowse on for the quality of that delivery is second to none I'm sure this is going to get checked there'll be so much going on in there the Aston Villa players are absolutely livid they feel like there's something gone on there's a push from the armour so check that pushes the ball over the line the news looks all around from manager and players ultimately it rests with Jared Gillett decision no goal yeah look it's a shame they're doing everything to put their bodies on the line but we know the rules that are quite clear there's a lot of ambiguity I think around VAR at times but the rules are clear West Ham United have to be content with a point they won't be but they have to be twice Emi Martinez was beaten after the goal that actually counted but on both occasions for West Ham the goals ruled out by VAR checks for handball Mikhail Antonio would legally put West Ham ahead before his own handball but then after Nikola Zaniolo's equalizer West Ham thought they'd won it in injury time David Moyes thought they'd won it in injury time when a James Ward-Prowse free kick was somehow bundled over the line initially by Mavropanos but then it appeared to be steered in via the arm of Thomas Sochek possibly via the hand of Jared Bone as well but after Jared Gillett decided to look at the evidence himself he ruled it out and you can see from the manager's reaction towards him that he feels very aggrieved at that final decision