Declan Rice stars as Hammers hand 10-man Villa a fourth straight loss
West Ham strengthened their hold on fourth place by inflicting a 4-1 victory over 10-man Aston Villa.
Ben Johnson put West Ham ahead with a low shot in the seventh minute. Ollie Watkins equalised on 34 minutes when he turned in Emiliano Buendia’s cross.
But West Ham regained the lead less than three minutes later through Declan Rice’s long-range shot.
Five minutes after half-time, Villa’s task got harder when defender Ezri Konsa was sent off for denying Jarrod Bowen when through on goal.
Watkins almost got a second when his header was tipped on to the bar, but West Ham then stepped up a gear.
Pablo Fornals made it 3-1 on 80 minutes after Emiliano Martinez could only parry a shot from Bowen, who scored the fourth after a neat team move.
West Ham have 20 points, five off the leaders Chelsea, while Villa are 15th on 10 points after a fourth straight defeat.
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