BAD NEWS For the Hammers as they are SET to Face Aston Villa Without KEY PLAYERS

West Ham United and Aston Villa are set to face off in their Premier League opener on Saturday, with both teams dealing with key player absences. The match promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams looking to start their Premier League campaign on a positive note.

West Ham will be without Edson Alvarez, who suffered a hamstring injury during the Copa America tournament. Alvarez is expected to miss six to eight weeks, leaving a significant gap in the Hammers’ midfield. The Mexican midfielder has been a crucial player for West Ham, and his absence will be felt.

Aston Villa, on the other hand, will be without three players. Boubacar Kamara is still recovering from a serious knee injury, while Tyrone Mings is expected to miss the match due to his lack of pre-season preparation. Robin Olsen, the team’s backup goalkeeper, is also a doubt after suffering an injury earlier this month.

Despite these absences, both teams have strengthened their squads during the transfer window and are expected to field new signings. West Ham could give debuts to Max Kilman, Niclas Fullkrug, Crysencio Summerville, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Jean-Clair Todibo, Guido Rodriguez, and Luis Guilherme. Aston Villa may hand debuts to Ian Maatsen, Amadou Onana, Ross Barkley, Enzo Barrenechea, Lewis Dobbin, Samuel Iling-Junior, Omar Khedr, and Jaden Philogene.

The match will be a first competitive game for new West Ham head coach Julen Lopetegui, who will be facing his fellow Basque Unai Emery. Emery has done an impressive job at Aston Villa since taking over from Steven Gerrard, leading the team to a Champions League spot last season.

Lopetegui has been speaking ahead of the clash and says he doesn’t have any bad news about injuries. However, the club’s official preview for the game confirms that Alvarez will miss out. West Ham has twice stated that Alvarez is unlikely to play, having been kept out of pre-season due to the injury.

Villa, on the other hand, is definitely missing Kamara, who suffered a serious knee injury in February against Manchester United. Mings is also expected to miss the Hammers clash, having not featured during pre-season after missing the majority of the 2023/24 campaign. Olsen was withdrawn through injury against RB Leipzig at the start of the month and has not played since, making him a doubt for Saturday’s squad.

The match promises to be an exciting encounter, with both teams looking to start their Premier League campaign on a positive note. West Ham will be looking to build on their impressive European performances last season, while Aston Villa will be seeking to continue their upward trajectory under Emery.

In conclusion, the Premier League opener between West Ham United and Aston Villa promises to be an exciting match, despite the absence of key players. Both teams have strengthened their squads during the transfer window and will be looking to start their campaign on a positive note.