Benrahma penalty scant relief for West Ham as Watkins earns Aston Villa point

There is not going to be a triumphant march to safety for West Ham if they cannot find a way through games like this. The boos at full-time underlined the frustration. David Moyes had watched his side inch above the relegation zone, Saïd Benrahma’s penalty earning West Ham a point, but the fact is that nobody was in a mood to celebrate.

The sense was of a missed opportunity. West Ham’s dreadful away form has left them under pressure but there were no home comforts here. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa were value for a point, though they will be disappointed not to have built on Ollie Watkins’s early goal, and West Ham would count the cost of another spluttering display in the final third.

Much would depend on whether West Ham could hold their nerve after seeing results go against them on Saturday afternoon. Bournemouth and Everton had both turned the screw, although at least Moyes could tell himself that it was unlikely to get much worse than last weekend’s capitulation at Brighton. That performance had surely represented the nadir. There had been a sense of patience snapping at the Amex Stadium, Moyes grim-faced as the travelling support turned on him, and this had the feel of a defining moment; one last chance for the Moyesiah to prove that he can still inspire this team.

Moyes restricted himself to two changes, Thilo Kehrer coming in for Ben Johnson at right-back, Kurt Zouma back in central defence, and West Ham made a bright start. Nayef Aguerd kneed wide from a free-kick. Jarrod Bowen went on a mazy run and lifted a cross over Matty Cash, who was relieved to see Benrahma volley over.

There was positive intent, a 4-1-4-1 system offering flexibility, Declan Rice staying back in defensive midfield and giving Tomas Soucek