Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Premier League encounter between West Ham United and Aston Villa.

With the transfer window now shut until the summer, clubs and fans alike can start to focus their attention to matters on the pitch for the final few months of the campaign, starting with tonight's fixtures in the Premier League. The match that we are covering here involves two teams with contrasting ambitions, which will hopefully result in a competitive encounter being played at Upton Park.

Of course, given their current plight, Villa are big outsiders to return to the West Midlands with any points. While they are unbeaten in three league fixtures, last weekend's 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Manchester City in the FA Cup and the club's failure to sign any players during January has left manager Remi Garde contemplating his future at Villa Park. While three points are imperative in the club's quest for survival, it may take a maximum return to convince Garde to remain at the helm until the end of the season.

As far as West Ham are concerned, they head into the contest having avoided defeat at Upton Park in their last 10 fixtures in all competitions, while they sit just six points off the Champions League places. The Europa League is arguably a more realistic aim, but boss Slaven Bilic will be keen to ensure that his team are not complacent against Villa. For all of their troubles, Villa have secured draws away at Southampton, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion since the start of December.

Anyway, without further ado, let's take a look at the two teams.

WEST HAM UNITED XI: Adrian, Tomkins, Reid, Collins, Cresswell, Song, Kouyate, Antonio, Noble, Payet, Valencia

WEST HAM UNITED SUBSTITUTES: Randolph, Obiang, O'Brien, Moses, Jelavic, Oxford, Cullen

ASTON VILLA XI: Bunn, Richards, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Bacuna, Gueye, Veretout, Gil, Agbonlahor, Ayew

ASTON VILLA SUBSTITUTES: Guzan, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, Lyden, Grealish, Mason

West Ham are without new signing Emmanuel Emenike with the Hammers not completing all aspects of the deal in time for tonight's fixture, but Cheikhou Kouyate has recovered from the injury that forced him off against Liverpool at the weekend. James Tomkins also starts despite requiring a number of stitches in a head injury at Anfield.

As for Villa, Garde has recalled the likes of Mark Bunn, Jores Okore and Joleon Lescott, while Gabriel Agbonlahor is a surprise starter after remaining at the club during the January transfer window. There is still no place in the starting lineup for Jack Grealish.

The selection of Agbonlahor is an interesting one. Garde had spoken about his intention to use the former England international but reports had previously suggested that the 29-year-old's time was up at his boyhood club. He hasn't scored in 11 appearances this season too, so the pressure will be on the attacker to make a contribution tonight and in the club's upcoming fixtures.

From an outsider's perspective, it also appears that Agbonlahor has jumped the queue and moved in front of Jack Grealish in the pecking order. It's no secret that Garde hasn't been impressed with the winger since he arrived at the club, but there appears to be a reluctance to give Grealish the chance to prove himself. Perhaps we will see the 20-year-old make a loan move to the Championship in the near future.

Here are the Villa players making their way out for the warm-up at Upton Park. They will be expected to make a faster start than they did against Man City - they were 1-0 down after four minutes.

Build-up video: The lads make their way out for the warm-up. #AVFC #WHUFC #WHUAVL https://t.co/4lhSJKQ1vU — Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) February 2, 2016

Earlier, I spoke about West Ham's home record, but despite their long unbeaten run in East London, they have only registered four wins from 11 in the Premier League - a statistic that Bilic will be desperate to improve during the closing months. In contrast, Villa haven't won a league game away from home since the opening day of the campaign, but they will take great encouragement from some of their recent away results. Draws aren't enough at this stage of the season, however, and it will be interesting to see whether Garde throws more caution to the wind tonight.

Due to the 10-point deficit that separates the club from safety, Villa's survival hopes have already been written off by most, but after tonight, they are at home in three of their next four league matches, and they are winnable games too. Norwich City, Liverpool and Everton all visit the West Midlands by March 1, and if Villa can come through that with six or seven points, they may give themselves a glimmer of hope.

West Ham's upcoming fixtures are relatively kind, and it's a period that they have to take full advantage of. They face the prospect of playing Chelsea, Arsenal, Leicester City and Manchester United between the middle of March and back-end of April so points need to be recorded in games such as the one they are involved in tonight.

PREDICTION! We have to go with a home win tonight. The Hammers may find themselves under pressure to emerge victorious when they such clear favourites, but with Dimitri Payet pulling the strings, they should be able to do enough to win comfortably.

Before the players make their way out, a quick reminder that we are also covering the other six Premier League fixtures that are taking place this evening. They can be located by clicking here.

There's a great atmosphere inside Upton Park. I suspect most of the noise is coming from the West Ham fans.

Villa get us underway. It's important that they make a fast start here.

CHANCE! It should be 1-0 to the home side. Unsurprisingly, Payet is at the heart of the move, jinking his way past Richards, who does well not to bring down the Frenchman, but after the ball is rifled into the six-yard box, it ricochets off Valencia and goes wide.

Great response from Villa, and more specifically, Ayew. The attacker glides past Tomkins before driving a threatening ball into the penalty area, which a West Ham defender manages to divert behind for a corner. Nothing comes from the resulting two corners, but they have shown their opponents that they are prepared to attack.

Garde will be delighted with his side's response to almost going behind. They are spraying the ball about for fun, although it has to be said that they are not coming under that much pressure from West Ham.

SHOT! Villa are playing like the home side right now, much to the frustration of the West Ham faithful. Gil receives the ball around 30 yards out and is given plenty of time to turn and get a shot away, but his low effort is comfortably saved by Adrian.

Massive penalty appeal from Villa, who want a spot kick after Antonio handled the ball inside the area. The winger had his back to the ball but it can definitely be argued that his arm is in an unnatural position as he attempted to block Agbonlahor's cross.

Earlier, I mentioned that Bilic would be fearful of his side being complacent against the Premier League's bottom side, and it certainly looks that way at the moment. West Ham are forced onto the back foot again and concede a free kick, but the delivery is poor and cleared away.

RED CARD! Jordan Ayew has been sent off for elbowing Aaron Cresswell. Crazy!!!

I honestly can't believe what I have just seen. Villa had a throw-in near the corner flag and before it was taken, Cresswell and Ayew were jostling for position. There was nothing that untoward, but Ayew inexplicitly elbowed the left-back, leaving the referee with the easiest of decisions. He's left his side in a hole.

The dismissal has given West Ham the boost that they needed. They had been second-best for much of the opening 15 minutes but now, they are beginning to control this match.

Payet looks threatening every time he has the ball, but despite providing a great ball for Antonio, the winger can only glance the ball way off target. They are building a head of steam, though. Villa need to be careful.

SHOT! More good play down the left-hand side from West Ham, with Noble being played in on the edge of the box. However, after passing the ball into Kouyate, the midfielder's sharp turn only resulted in a shot straight at Bunn.

Villa seem to have reverted to a 4-4-1 formation with Agbonlahor operated as a lone frontman. In one way, it may suit the visitors on the break, but it's not ideal for a player who has just come back from injury.

As we reach the half-hour mark, every player aside from Adrian is in the West Ham final third and it nearly results in a goal for the Hammers. After Bunn misses the ball, Tomkins gets a volley towards goal but Valencia can only divert his effort high over the crossbar from three yards. It seems only a matter of time...

In an incredible turn of events, Manchester United have scored a first-half goal at Old Trafford to move in front against Stoke City. It looks as though West Ham are going to have to win this game to keep pace with Louis van Gaal's side.

Collins has just attempted a 35-yard screamer. Guess where it ended up? Slaven isn't happy. Nine minutes to go until half time.

CHANCE! A poor clearance from Cissohko and hesitation from Gil sees Tomkins win an opening for himself in the penalty area but on his weaker left foot, he volleys the ball into the stands. Villa will do well to remain on level terms until the break.

After a brief flurry forward from Villa, West Ham are back in possession of the ball and attempting to work it into the middle. However, Villa hold firm and push their hosts back, who then concede a needless foul.

West Ham win a free kick around 35 yards from goal, and it's attracted the attention of Valencia. He has scored from this distance in the past, but not on this occasion, with Bunn seeing the effort just wide of the target.

There will be one minute of added-on time.

The half-time whistle goes at Upton Park and Aston Villa have managed to reach the break without conceding against the Hammers, who have had a man advantage ever since Jordan Ayew decide to elbow Aaron Cresswell. It hasn't cost his side just yet, but it's going to be a long 45 minutes for the West Midlands club.

I don't envisage any substitutions for either side at half time, but Garde especially is going to have to be smart with his alterations. It seems unlikely that Agbonlahor will last the pace but how does the Frenchman solve that issue? Sinclair is an option, but perhaps Garde decides to test Grealish's commitment to the cause by using him as a lone forward to get in behind the West Ham defence. Just a thought...

West Ham get us back underway.

As expected, it has been all West Ham since the restart. The Hammers should have got a shot in on goal after a cross into the box was about to find Antonio, but Collins got in the way as he went for an ambitious volley.

CHANCE! UNBELIEVABLE clearance off the line from Richards. After being found by a floated Noble delivery, Collins headed powerfully across goal where three players were waiting to tap home but Richards was somehow able to slide in and clear the ball. Outstanding.

SHOT! From the resulting corner, Payet finds Noble on the edge of the penalty area, but the captain's volley is well saved by Bunn. Relentless pressure from the Hammers.

WOODWORK! West Ham win a free kick on the left-hand side of the penalty area. Payet looks primed to cross the ball into the six-yard box, but he opts to shoot towards the near post, with the ball being tipped onto the woodwork by Bunn. Villa survive again.

It was coming, wasn't it? It's taken a fine goal to break the deadlock, however. A searching 50-yard pass from Noble was perfect for Antonio, who was able to use the flight of the ball to head towards the far corner where the ball hit the post and went in.

Noble has always been a fine passer of the ball but he is knocking the ball about like Andrea Pirlo right now. A superb outside-of-the-boot pass finds Antonio inside the penalty area but the winger's cross is well cleared by the Villa defence.

You would think that Garde has to change this up now. Villa have barely had a touch inside the West Ham half since the break and it's only a matter of time before the home side score again. Kouyate very nearly made it 2-0 with an overhead kick but he just failed to make contact at the back post.

BOOKING! Collins goes into the book for a cynical foul on the advancing Richards. He joins Song in earning a yellow card in this second half.

BOOKING! Now Noble is cautioned for a very late tackle on Bacuna. There were calls for a red but I think that would have been harsh. Still, it was accepted without any fuss.

SUBSTITUTION! Garde has finally made his move, introducing Kieran Richardson for Gil. Not the change I thought he would make.

SAVE! Bunn has had an excellent game for Villa tonight, and he only adds to that with a stunning one-handed intervention to tip a Cresswell half-volley wide of the post. The referee misses the save, though. I don't think Bunn will be too impressed, despite his team gaining a goal kick.

SUBSTITUTION! On comes Scott Sinclair, who replaces a tiring Agbonlahor. It's hard to criticise Agbonlahor's effort tonight. Villa will need more of that from him.

Game over. Villa win a rare corner, but after it breaks down, West Ham surge forward in numbers. Valencia has a number of options to his left but he eventually plays in Kouyate, who takes his time before firing into the roof of the net from 14 yards.

Bilic takes the opportunity to replace both Valencia and Antonio. They deserve their standing ovation and are proving to be important players for the Hammers this season.

There will be three minutes of added-on time.

The full-time whistle goes at Upton Park and West Ham have completed what turned out to be a routine win over struggling Aston Villa. You have to feel for the visitors, whose hopes were hit after Ayew was sent off for a blatant elbow, but West Ham fully deserved their win thanks to goals from Antonio and Kouyate.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this game but we hope that you can stick around for all of the reports and reaction from tonight's Premier League games. Goodbye for now.