Football: Weekend guide to the Premiership: MATCH OF THE DAY: West Ham v Aston Villa
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Your support makes all the difference.THEY BOTH wear claret and blue, but there ends the comparison between Aston Villa and West Ham United thus far this season. John Gregory's side - tipped by many to struggle after losing Dwight Yorke and Savo Milosevic, and failing to keep David Unsworth longer than it took him to get off the Birmingham stretch of the M6 - have emerged as a model of footballing consistency, dropping only four points thus far on the way to a six-point lead over the rest of the Premiership.
West Ham's opening to the season, while promising much, has been a fitful one, an inspired victory over Liverpool one week followed by an insipid Worthington Cup display against Northampton Town the next epitomising their inconsistency.
Then, amid the general confusion at Upton Park, the enigma that is John Hartson (left) has determinedly filled and thrilled the tabloids with lurid tales of his boorish behaviour outside pubs, his unorthodox training routines and, most bizarrely of all, his hair replacement therapy. Suggestions of a tiff between Hartson and his midfield side-kick, Eyal Berkovic, were swiftly discredited yesterday, however, as the two engaged in a big hug for the photographers. Intriguingly, both are expected to start today's game.
These days the tranquil halls of Villa Park, however, echo to no more than the sound of pen nibs scratching quietly upon shiny new contracts. Indeed, Gareth Southgate (right) yesterday made the step of pledging the rest of his career to the club by adding his signature to a new five-year contract.
Southgate has attributed his decision to the managerial skills of Gregory. The defender, who demonstrated both sides of his heading abilities in England's win over over Luxembourg in midweek, giving away a penalty before scoring a late third goal, praised the team spirit in the camp created by the former Wycombe manager. "He has brought discipline, changed the training and put a smile on the face of everyone," Southgate said.
Harry Redknapp, the West Ham manager, welcomes back his captain, Steve Lomas, and the striker Paul Kitson is also in the squad after a lengthy absence with injury. It leaves the Hammers virtually at full strength for the first time this season, with only Stan Lazaridis and Javier Margas still receiving treatment. Stan Collymore should retain his place up front for Villa, while the defender Steve Watson, the new pounds 4m signing from Newcastle United, looks set to be on the bench.
WEST HAM (from): Hislop, Forrest, Dicks, Ferdinand, Impey, Pearce, Potts, Hall, Berkovic, Keller, Lampard, Lomas, Moncur, Hartson, Kitson, Wright, Sinclair, Abou.
ASTON VILLA (from): Bosnich, Charles, Ehiogu, Southgate, Barry, Wright, Hendrie, Taylor, Thompson, Merson, Collymore, Joachim, Draper, Scimeca, Watson, Vassell, Ferraresi, Oakes.
Injuries: West Ham: Lazaridis, Margas. Aston Villa: None.
Suspensions: West Ham: None. Aston Villa: None.
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