Aston Villa 4-1 West Ham United
(23rd November 2002)
The joint highest-scoring match between the sides in the Premier League era and one of two 4-1 victories for Aston Villa (the other a 4-1 win at Upton Park in November 1995), this proved to be a crucial game in both clubs' seasons.
On the day that Dion Dublin netted his 100th Premiership goal, Graham Taylor's Villa punished a wasteful Hammers side with Lee Hendrie and Oyvind Leonhardsen profiting from the visitors' inability to deal with lofted free kicks.
Paulo Di Canio pulled it back to 2-1 after ghosting in unmarked at the far post, but Dublin's thumping header restored the two-goal cushion before Darius Vassell completed a brilliant one-touch passing sequence by steering for 4-1 and sending Glenn Roeder's West Ham United to the foot of the table in the process.
Villa finished in 16th place that season, two points ahead of Bolton Wanderers in 17th and three clear of West Ham, who were relegated back to the First Division.
West Ham United 4-0 Aston Villa
(12th September 2005)
After eight draws in the sides' previous eleven league meetings, it undoubtedly came as a shock that promoted West Ham cruised to a 4-0 demolition of David O' Leary's Aston Villa.
It was perhaps even more of a surprise to see Marlon Harewood - off the pace in the opening three games of the season - repay manager Alan Pardew's faith with an exceptional hat-trick.
A composed finish punished Olof Mellberg's slip before a piece of brilliant opportunism, nudging a volleyed effort over an expectant Thomas Sørensen.
Though his tap-in for the third owed a debt to the ineptitude of the Villa keeper, the striker was a menace all evening, with Villa unable to live with him, nor Teddy Sheringham, nor Yossi Benayoun, whose neat footwork engineered space to drive in a late fourth.
The Irons returned to the top-flight with a 9th-place finish; Villa's flirtation with relegation and eventual 16th position cost O' Leary his job.
Aston Villa 3-0 West Ham United
(14th August 2010)
At the end of a turbulent week at the beginning of the 2010/11 campaign which saw manager Martin O' Neill's sudden departure, Villa cruised to a resounding opening-day victory as a powerless Avram Grant watched on in the opposite dugout.
West Ham hadn't lost in pre-season but came crashing back to reality as an energetic Villa side completely overpowered their opponents. The scoreline perhaps flattered the visitors, who allowed 11 shots on target.
Stewart Downing opened the scoring, slotting home after keeper Rob Green could only parry debutant Marc Albrighton's drive into his path. Captain Stiliyan Petrov doubled the lead, surging late into the box and thumping his header beyond Green before James Milner marked his final Villa appearance by smashing in a third.
Gérard Houllier et al guided the Villains to a respectable 9th; Grant's Irons endured a dismal season and were relegated in 20th.