West Ham United

• Aston Villa have won just one of their past 12 Premier League games against West Ham and are winless in eight against the Hammers.

• West Ham have won their past two league games at Villa, as many as in their previous 19 visits.

• Steven Gerrard's Villa side have lost three of their past five Premier League matches when scoring first.

• West Ham remain the only Premier League side to have both failed to score a goal and not picked up a point yet this season. In English top-flight history, only four sides have lost their opening four matches of a campaign while also failing to score in each defeat.

Aston Villa: Richard Sutherland, The Villa Park podcast, external

If social media reactions were anything to go by, then both David Moyes and Steven Gerrard would have been sacked after last weekend's results.

West Ham, after two fantastic seasons - admittedly with a drop off towards the end of last year - have started this one with something of a hangover. They are bottom of the league after three defeats and no goals scored, while last season's top performers Declan Rice, Michael Antonio and Jarrod Bowen are all struggling for form. The heat is ramping up.

Gerrard's Villa have been equally as unconvincing - a marginal win over a struggling Everton sandwiched between woeful away performances at Bournemouth and Crystal Palace. Fans have pointed to a distinct lack of style and cohesion, and three league wins in 15 has put the scrutiny firmly on Gerrard.

Pressure-wise, I think Moyes just shades it. While Gerrard is under his fair share, he has received total backing from the board and will be given time. For Moyes though, If he loses on Sunday that will be four league defeats in a row and, combined with the end to last season, I can see the passionate Hammers natives becoming extremely restless.

West Ham: Mia Claydon, Green Street Hammers, external

The Premier League's two claret-and-blue teams have struggled to get their campaigns under way and both are already under immense pressure.

At West Ham, fans are restless about the lack of quality Moyes' players are showing, and the Hammers are the only team across the top four divisions yet to score a domestic goal. He has spent a great amount of money to bring in quality players across the pitch, but it appears the team have not yet gelled.

Gerrard faces a different kind of pressure. The Villans have spent over £150m on new signings across three transfer windows and haven't finished in the top half of the table since their return to the Premier League in 2019. I believe Gerrard has been told by the board that a finish lower than the top six would be a failed season, which highlights the pressure the former Liverpool player faces. Although they have a win over Everton under their belt, they got no points from games at Crystal Palace and newly promoted Bournemouth.

However, West Ham will need to pick up points in the West Midlands, as they go into a run of difficult games. Tottenham, Chelsea, and Newcastle are on the horizon, so the intensity will only grow should the Hammers again fail to take anything this weekend.

Read the rest of this week's debates over here

West Ham have made a fresh bid for 24-year-old Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta after their opening offer of 50m euros (£42.2million) was rejected by Lyon. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

The Hammers have also had a £10m bid for Belgium midfielder Hans Vanaken, 30, turned down by Club Bruges. (Evening Standard), external

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

Telegraph journalist Luke Edwards believes Brazil midfielder Lucas Paqueta "will probably end up at West Ham" after David Moyes confirmed a bid had been made in his news conference yesterday.

"Managers do not normally do that unless they think they are going to get him," Edwards told the Transfer Gossip Daily podcast.

"Moyes sees him as a six or an eight and there's obviously pedigree there. He's also clearly desperate to get out of Lyon and has been all summer."

Paqueta impressed against West Ham in their Europa League quarter-final last season and had been linked with a number of Premier League clubs over the summer.

"There was lots of talk on Tyneside about Newcastle signing him because he is best friends with Bruno Guimaraes but they were never seriously interested in him," said Edwards.

"Arsenal are not expected to join the race from him so I think he'll end up at West Ham."

More of today's transfer rumour is available over here on BBC Sounds

West Ham have had a 50m euro (£42.2m) bid for midfielder Lucas Paqueta rejected by Lyon. (L'Equipe, via Metro), external

Meanwhile, the Hammers have been offered the chance to sign Arsenal midfielder Ainsley Maitland-Niles. (Mail), external

Southampton and Bournemouth are also discussing a possible deal for Maitland-Niles, with the Gunners potentially open to a loan move with an option to buy. (TalkSport), external

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Emma Jones, BBC Radio London

West Ham fans are probably, and understandably, avoiding looking at the Premier League table at the moment. Played three. Lost three. Yet to score a goal.

But the general feeling seems to be: "Keep calm and carry on" (with a few more new signings).

Losing to Manchester City - plenty of teams are going to do that this season.

There was bad luck at Nottingham Forest and then they faced Brighton, who are West Ham’s bogey team.

What David Moyes has achieved already means he still has the trust of the fans. And the club seems to have deeper pockets than before when it comes to strengthening the squad.

West Ham should be on the verge of securing a place in the group stages of the Uefa Europa Conference League.

And while a midweek trip to Denmark isn’t the ideal preparation for Sunday’s game at Aston Villa, a good result could put the team in a positive mood as they look for their first Premier League points of the season.

After all, as you'll see in the feed of content below, Michail Antonio has assured supporters he is going to score this weekend.

Watch this space.  

Full commentary of Aston Villa against West Ham will be available on BBC Radio London Digital from 14:00 BST on Sunday, 28th August

Image source, Reuters

David Moyes accepts West Ham have had a difficult start to the season, but at the same time is delighted by the change in mentality at London Stadium.

The Hammers are bottom of the early Premier League table and travel to Danish outfit Viborg on Thursday to try and seal qualification to the group stages of the Europa Conference League.

Moyes however is taking the positives from the frustrated reaction to their position.

"We've got a great club here now," he said. "You can see with the mentality and how we're perceived. People see us as a top team now and that is a real turnaround.

"This summer it has been a difficult market - look at the prices and what's going on.

"But most people who watch West Ham closely will know that from about January there have been signs we are needing to change two or three players.

"It's been a tough year - but it comes with being a side that has high expectations."

After completing the signing of Emerson Palmieri from Chelsea and with reports emerging of a bid for Lyon's Lucas Paqueta, Moyes refused to rule out more arrivals in East London before the transfer window closes next Thursday.

"We're just trying to get someone who can complement what we've got," he said. "We want to add value."

Image source, PA Media

Jarrod Bowen says the atmosphere at West Ham remains optimistic despite a barren start to the season of three losses and no goals scored.

The Hammers travel to Denmark on Thursday for the second leg of their Europa Conference League qualifier with Viborg and, after a 3-1 win in the first leg, Bowen is hopeful another good performance will get them back on track.

"What we've created here is a really positive group," he said.

"Tomorrow night is important for us. We've got a good lead and we want European football back to London Stadium for the fans.

"It's not been the start we've wanted but there's still time to get results in the league. It's not the standards we've set but we can't forget what we've achieved."

Bowen scored in the first leg, as did new signing Gianluca Scamacca, and he thinks the competition is a good chance for the summer arrivals to bed in.

"It takes time to find your feet and learn about the manager's style of play and your new team-mates," he said.

"Gianluca, Maxwel [Cornet] and Thilo [Kehrer] played last week. The manager has faith in them and it might be another opportunity."

David Moyes has been speaking to the media before West Ham’s Europa Conference League qualifying tie against Viborg on Thursday.

The Hammers take a 3-1 lead from the first leg.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Moyes emphasises the most important thing about the game is to qualify for the next stage: “I think we’ve got to do everything we possibly can to qualify. Everybody wants to be involved in the group stages and I don’t think there are any easy play-off games these days.”

• On a tricky start to the season: “It’s been a slow start – slower than we’d like – but I’ve seen signs of improvement. We’re not burying our heads in the sand. I want us to have high expectations because that means we’ve done well.”

• New signing Emerson “was always really high” on his wishlist: “We’ve been looking for help for Cresswell for a while. I’m hoping Emerson will show us what he can do.”

• He will make further transfer moves in the final week of the window, if the right player becomes available: “We’re just trying to get someone who can complement what we’ve got. We want to add value to what we’ve got.”

Image source, Getty Images

Michail Antonio says West Ham aren't clicking right now, but he is confident things will soon change.

The Hammers have lost all three league games so far and are the only Premier League side yet to score a goal.

Antonio told the Footballer's Football podcast: "I don’t think we’ve lost three games like this on the bounce. It’s very disappointing.

"We’re disappointed with ourselves. We feel we should be doing better.

"If you look at last season, we kind of fell off at the end. We’re definitely building something, it’s just not clicking right now. It’s just bad luck right now. When things start ticking, we’ll go on a run.

"We’re not worried about anything. We believe it will turn. We believe it’s bad luck. Against Forest, we had so many opportunities. Against Brighton, first-half, we’re pressing them well. We need to get that goal. I need to get that goal. And then, from there, we build.

"Next weekend, I’ll be scoring a goal. I’m putting it out there. We’re going to work hard, we’re going to win again this week in the Europa Conference and we’re going to build some confidence, get three points on the board".

Listen to the Footballer's Football podcast on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

New signing Emerson Palmieri says that European football is the right level for West Ham after joining the Hammers from Chelsea for £15m.

West Ham qualified for the European Conference League after finishing seventh last season but are the only Premier League side yet to pick up a point in the new campaign.

"The project is clear - it is to try and win every game. Try to do well in the Premier League and stay in the Europe because I think that is our level," he said in his first club interview., external

"It is the level of this team, the club deserve it so the project is this. It is clear we have to try and fight for this.

"I have a good mentality as I want to win every game."

After the signing of Emerson from Chelsea we asked for your views and what else is needed before the end of the window.

Here are some comments:

Rob: Good signing. Let’s hope Moyes gives him a chance in the first team. Not sure what Moyes' issues are with the new signings but he’s very reluctant to play them.

Geoff: We're now signing players at random. There is no plan or strategy - Moyes doesn't know how to change it.

Tom: Waste of money! We have so many more positions that need improving, not left-back. We have Cresswell, Johnson and even Ashby who I would all prefer over him. We need another attacking midfielder/winger and just need some experience to reverse this awful start to the season.

Peter: The problem started last summer when the West Ham board characteristically sat their hands after finishing sixth, and barely enhanced the squad in quantity or quality. Once the Europa League came to dominate things the cracks showed up and the league form suffered. Successive West Ham boards have form for doing this over decades.

Rob: Soucek has to go. Antonio should be an impact player. Just get the new signings on the pitch. Simples!

West Ham United are plotting a bid to sign Chelsea's Conor Gallagher on loan for the season. (Sun), external

The Hammers have made an improved £9.2m offer to Club Bruges for Belgium midfielder Hans Vanaken, 30. (Mail), external

Want more transfer news? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

New West Ham defender Emerson Palmieri says he is ready for a "big challenge" at London Stadium and "can't wait to get started".

The 28-year-old Italy left-back completed his move from Chelsea on Tuesday.

"Since the first day I arrived here in England, I always saw the big clubs and I always watched the big games.

"I knew the history about West Ham. The history is so, so big for this team, so when I knew about the interest, for sure I said: ‘Yes, let’s go. I want to go there.'

"It’s a big challenge for me. I’m very happy to be here and I’m ready."

Happy with the signing, Hammers fans? And what else is needed before the transfer window closes? Have your say here

James Jones, We Are West Ham podcast, external

Three defeats. Zero goals scored. There's plenty of reasons to feel disappointed with the way our Premier League campaign has started, especially given our expectation levels have increased a few notches after the success of the past two seasons.

But it's not time to panic. Not yet.

We still have injury problems in defence and our new players are still adapting. It could be argued that they would adapt a lot quicker if they'd been given more minutes up to this point, but there's still time for that.

There's also time to bring in a few more faces to strengthen the squad.

So, while there have been some alarming signs so early in this new season, we shouldn't be panicking. Remember Arsenal at the beginning of 2021-22? They lost their first three without scoring a goal and went on to finish fifth.

If that's evidence that our campaign isn't over already, I don't know what is.

David Moyes has earned the trust of the fans and he should be trusted to put things right. We've been spoiled over the past two years, but let's have faith that those good times aren't already over.

It's another busy week of commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra, with live coverage of games across the Premier League and Carabao Cup.

Tuesday, 23 August

• Fleetwood v Everton (19:45)

Wednesday, 24 August

• Tranmere v Newcastle (19:45, Sports Extra)

Saturday, 27 August

• Liverpool v Bournemouth (15:00)

• Arsenal v Fulham (17:30)

Sunday, 28 August

• Aston Villa v West Ham (14:00)

• Wolves v Newcastle (14:00, online only)

• Nottingham Forest v Tottenham (16:30)

All times BST

Chelsea are prepared to allow an additional eight players leave in this window after West Ham agreed a deal to sign Italy defender Emerson Palmieri, 28 (Express), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column