West Ham United and Aston Villa have enjoyed rather different fortunes since finishing just two places and two points apart in last season's Premier League.
Villa lagged marginally behind their claret and blue counterparts in 2013-14, but had seven points more than the Londoners after four games of this campaign.
However, they have not added another point since, and a run of one defeat in seven for the Hammers has seen the positions reverse as they now lead Villa by the same margin.
Sam Allardyce's side are bearing the fruit of their shrewd summer business and have surprised many neutrals in firing themselves to fifth in the table after 10 games.
Meanwhile, Paul Lambert's men have suffered during a difficult sequence of fixtures and have scored just once in six consecutive defeats that have seen them plummet to 16th.
Their latest loss came against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend - their sixth game in seven against one of last season's top six sides - when they led until two goals in the final five minutes from the Lilywhites.
The turning point in that encounter at Villa Park could have been the second-half dismissal of Christian Benteke, who now faces a three-game suspension having only recently returned from a six-month layoff.
With Libor Kozak a long-term absentee, Lambert's options to replace his talismanic Belgian are limited, so Gabriel Agbonlahor is likely to be asked to resume a central role despite being goalless in six matches.
Andreas Weimann ended Villa's 547-minute goal drought against Spurs and will attempt to lend support to Agbonlahor from the left flank, with Charles N'Zogbia in line for another opportunity on the right.
Alan Hutton and Philippe Senderos remain injury casualties so Matt Lowton and Nathan Baker will continue in defence, while Carlos Sancez should maintain his midfield spot, with Fabian Delph still out.
Allardyce will welcome back Diafra Sakho in attack after his seven-goal top scorer missed the 2-2 draw with Stoke City last weekend, in which his strike partner Enner Valencia got on the scoresheet.
With an assist and a goal, it was Stewart Downing's performance which stood out as the Hammers came from two down to earn a point, and the midfielder has earned himself a surprise England recall.
Winston Reid appears to be on his way out of Upton Park, but will have overcome a dead leg to start, so Allardyce's only selection dilemma will be whether to go with Cheikhou Kouyate or Morgan Amaliftano in midfield.
Club-record signing Andy Carroll came through 60 minutes in a behind-closed-doors friendly this week, but will probably not make his first-team return until after the international break.
Recent form
West Ham: DWWWLW
Villa: LLLLLL
Possible starting lineups
West Ham: Adrian; Jenkinson, Reid, Collins, Cresswell; Song, Noble, Amalfitano; Downing; Valencia, Sakho
Villa: Guzan; Lowton, Vlaar, Baker, Cissokho; Sanchez, Westwood, Cleverley; N'Zogbia, Weimann, Agbonlahor
Sports Mole says: 2-0
Joe Fish
