Aston Villa v West Ham: Premier League – live

There are certain games that, though they’re unlikely to affect much at either end of the table, are quintessentially Premier League: famous, historic sides meeting for a good, honest, old-fashioned, traditional, old skool, English-style, tear-up – and this is one. Sort of.

Let’s start with the kits – not currently all that, but part of a long line of claret-and-blue beauties that are among the greatest ever committed to polyester – and follow with the ground. Villa Park remains one of the world’s best with the Holte is up there alongside its greatest end, and though there are better times to play a football match than 4.30 on a Sunday afternoon, we can be certain that B6 will be absolutely jumping.

That’s because Unai Emery has got Villa going. Even before he arrived, the squad was leaden with quality, but his ability to organise and energise is what’s made sense of it all, finessing a coherent, combative outfit that plays with the lights on. And in the classic English tradition, they’re set up in a 4-4-2 too, the Ollie Watkins/Moussa Diaby strike partnership a very modern take on the classic big man/little man model. But it’s Emery’s influence that underpins everything, his Spanish sensibility underpinned by universal footballing principles of hard work and fast running to create a formidable outfit.

Similar, though, is so of West Ham, who harnessed the buzz of their Conference-League win by – eventually – adding variety and class to their squad. As such they now have midfielders and attackers able to aggravate anyone, with spares ready to replace them if necessary – and it surely won’t be long before Mohammed Kudus, whose late equaliser saved them against Newcastle, is handed a start. In the meantime, though, and inspired by David Moyes – ! – Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paquetá, James Ward-Prowse, Edson Alvarez and Michail Antonio are more than making do.

All of which means we’re set up for a terrific go-around – stick with me to see what shakes out.

Kick-off: 4.30pm BST