Aston Villa 2-0 West Ham United result - John McGinn and Ollie Watkins on target for Unai Emery's side against relegation-threatened Hammers

A goal in each half from John McGinn and Ollie Watkins arrested Aston Villa's three-match Premier League losing streak as West Ham United were dispatched at Villa Park.

Unai Emery's side moved five points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool to increase their stranglehold on a UEFA Champions League place, in what was a professional performance by the hosts against Nuno Espirito Santo's relegation-threatened side.

McGinn broke the deadlock with a quarter of an hour played at the end of a cleverly-worked free-kick.

Lucas Digne opted to play it short into the path of Jadon Sancho, who rolled the ball across the box for the Scotland midfielder to curl a fine left-footed finish past Mads Hermansen.

It was effectively one-way traffic for the remainder of the first half, with further chances for Amadou Onana, Watkins and Morgan Rogers before half-time.

Following a promising start to the second half for West Ham, Watkins doubled Villa's lead to knock the stuffing out of the visitors.

Hermansen did well to save Rogers' initial effort but could do nothing to prevent Watkins from sliding home the rebound.

Villa's quest to return to the Champions League remains on track, while West Ham's Premier League status is still hanging by a thread.

They will count their lucky stars that Tottenham Hotspur are only a point above them in 17th, after their 3-0 defeat to fellow survival rivals Nottingham Forest in the other 2:15pm kick-off.

It's more pain for Tottenham, who are still yet to win a Premier League game in 2026.

They were beaten 3-0 by Nottingham Forest in a huge clash at the bottom of the table.

Goals from Igor Jesus, Morgan Gibbs-White and Taiwo Awoniyi gave Vitor Pereira his first Premier League win in charge of the club.

Forest move up to 16th with 32 points, Spurs are now 17th with 31 - a point clear of 18th-placed West Ham.

A goal in each half from McGinn and Watkins overcomes The Hammers at Villa Park!

Kante rifles an angled attempt over the bar as the amount of added time is announced.

Watkins ends a fine shift, as he's replaced by Abraham in the closing stages.

The Czech is replaced by Kante.

Wan-Bissaka is replaced by Magassa.

A promising break from West Ham sees Diouf deliver an enticing ball towards Pablo, but Onana gets there first and clears it behind.

Subsquent corner is easily cleared by Villa's defence.

Cash links up brilliantly with Bailey, whose cross is cleared behind by Disasi.

The resulting corner comes to nothing.

The Argentine replaces Rogers for Villa's fourth change.

Rogers' initial shot is saved by Hermansen, but he could only parry the ball out to Watkins, who slides home on the rebound!

A big roar from the Villa crowd, as Tielemans comes on for his first appearance since January, replacing McGinn.

Traore drifts another ball into the box, Torres fails to clear it, and Pablo blazes his shot over the bar.

Despite four West Ham players being in the box, not one of them rushed out to meet the cross.

Still, Nuno's side are enjoying a good spell in the game now.

It's a lovely well-worked Villa move which results in McGinn teeing up Onana, but the Belgian fires over the bar from distance.

West Ham break forward quickly on the counter-attack, as Pablo tees up Bowen, whose cross is headed behind by Konsa.

Bowen's resulting corner is eventually cleared.

Pablo is waiting to pounce on Fernandes' cross from the left, but Digne is on hand to head the ball behind.

Mavropanos then picks out Disasi, whose header is collected by Martinez.

More encouraging from West Ham here.

Barkley's fierce strike from distance is tipped over the bar by Hermansen.

Digne stands over the corner, which Mavropanos heads clear into the path of Cash, who fires wide.