West Ham: Stats explain why Nuno Espirito Santo must start Callum Wilson vs Aston Villa
Callum Wilson could easily prove to be the difference-maker in West Ham United’s upcoming fixture against Aston Villa.
The Hammers are set to travel to Villa Park on Sunday as they look to emerge from the relegation zone.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have a real chance to get a result given the Birmingham outfit’s deteriorating Premier League form, and the fact they completed on Thursday in a Europa League quarter-final.
However, it will still be a tricky tie, and the manager must look towards Wilson if they are to get three points.
Below, Football Insider has examined why the striker is key in the mouthwatering West Ham showdown.
Callum Wilson has an excellent record vs Aston Villa
In recent months, Wilson’s West Ham career has taken a sudden twist.
Despite all signs pointing towards a termination of his contract, the striker is now set to extend his stay at the London Stadium, as he continues to prove himself to be a useful asset.
| Callum Wilson's Premier League stats this season | Per 90 minutes |
| Goals | 0.45 |
| xG | 0.59 |
| Shots | 2.88 |
| Successful dribbles | 57.9% |
| Touches in opposition box | 5.84 |
However, in recent weeks, he has seen his importance dip once again, having started just one Premier League game since his goal against Tottenham, and was an unused substitute against Manchester City last weekend.
Nevertheless, starting the striker against Villa could prove to be the road to victory.
Overall, Wilson has an excellent record against Unai Emery’s side, having netted in four of his 12 meetings, while also assisting twice.
Therefore, given that he is averaging one goal contribution every two matches against Villa, he could be Nuno’s secret weapon on Sunday and prove to be the last piece of the puzzle.
What does the future hold for West Ham and Wilson?
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness explained that West Ham could lose their star players if the club does not have a takeover this summer.
Latest financial accounts reported that the club made a loss of £104million across the 2024-25 season, which has put emphasis on player sales this summer.
As a result, the signing of a top scorer looks unlikely in the summer, especially if the Hammers are relegated to the Championship.
Therefore, Wilson could see himself in an even more prominent role next season, whatever the division West Ham are in.