Match Preview: Aston Villa v West Ham

Who are we playing?
West Ham United

Where are we playing?
Villa Park, Saturday 3pm

Can I go?
Tickets available nearly everywhere, but there are a surprisingly high amount of "Amber areas" so don't leave it too late to get your favourite spot.

Can I watch it live on the telly?
Not on a UK channel no. Naughty pubs and dodgy webstreams only and there's always the risk you'll end up with Barry Horne on the commentary.

Big game?

Big Sam

Massive! Villa finally managed to find the goal a few times at home against the Baggies but a depressingly unadventurous style of play up at Goodison has shaken the fans confidence again and only a stylish win here will suffice.

After getting severely berated in the media for West Ham's cup exits, Big Sam Allardyce's team have bounced back in recent games and they'll be keen to continue that improvement here.

Not sure whether Karren Brady will be in attendance. If only we knew some songs about her...

Do West Ham have any famous fans?

Well, there's Barack Obama from The White House apparently. More impressive though is Keira Knightly out of Bend It Up Beckham.

Keira supports the Hammers. No idea who Scarlett supports.

We've got former Home Secretary Jacqui Smith. 

So we win.

Who's playing for us?
Gabby's foot is on the mend so fingers crossed there. The increasingly fragile Ron Vlaar is a doubt again with a hamstring tweak. Lambert allowed Sid to field three first team squad members, Joe Bennett, Gary Gardner and Jordan Bowery in Monday's Under 21 game at Bodymoor Heath.

Who's playing for them?
Andy Carroll's controversial sending off after a bit of afters with Chico Flores means that he will miss the game, having failed in his appeal.

Any useless stats?

Of course, here you go:

• We have to go back to 2006 for West Ham United's last success at Villa Park. Goals from Bobby Zamora and Marlon Harewood secured the points for the visitors after Lee Hendrie had given Villa the lead. The winner was a penalty awarded by our old pal Phil Dowd.

• West Ham just have the edge on us historically with 38 wins to our 37. There have been 30 draws.

• Just 30,503 turned up for last season's Villa Park meeting. Benteke scored from the spot and a resurgent Charles N'Zogbia nabbed the winner. West Ham's consolation was deemed to be an Ashley Westwood own goal. 

• Villa's first ever league win over the London side came on Boxing Day 1925 at Villa Park, Len Capewell and Arthur Dorrell bagging the goals in a 2-0 victory

The Vision

He said, She said...
Mark Noble "Villa are a good team at home, they counter well and they've had good results. But we've got enough to go there and get a result. We need to keep Benteke and Gabby Agbonlahor quiet and hopefully go there and get some points"

Paul Lambert "If you have that vision, you need people seeing it and backing it, and Randy has been fantastic with that."


Prediction
Going for a 1-0 Villa win.