Graham Potter takes charge of West Ham for the first time after a whirlwind 48 hours when they go to Aston Villa in the FA Cup.
When West Ham were drawn to face Aston Villa away from home in the FA Cup third round, you could hear a collective sigh across east London and Essex.
Crack open your windows this evening and you may hear a collective groan across the nation from non-football fans.
West Ham’s season rests on this huge game at Villa Park.
Julen Lopetegui has been sacked with West Ham languishing in the Premier League’s bottom seven.
He has been replaced by Graham Potter, who gets straight to work at Aston Villa just 48 hours after signing on the dotted line.
The whole saga was like something out of a soap opera.
So there’s no lack of irony about Potter’s Hammers debut at Villa.
Because East enders West Ham have sparked TV outrage over national favourite Coronation Street.
West Ham’s huge third round clash against Unai Emery’s hot and cold Aston Villa side kicks off at 8pm.
It will be screened live on ITV.
That has led to a host of national media sites publishing stories explaining that West Ham’s match has caused a ‘major shake-up to the TV schedule’.
One report from the Yorkshire Post states ‘Coronation Street fans are being warned of a major shake-up to the schedule’.
It is explained to soap fans that the Villa vs West Ham FA Cup third round match has caused a change in TV plans, ‘leaving soap watchers in for a nasty surprise’.
One journalist writes that ‘soap fans are no strangers to being messed around due to the football’ saying ‘Corrie is just the latest victim, with the usual Friday episode not airing as planned in a few hours’.
ITV will not be airing Corrie in its usual slot tonight (Friday January 10). Instead the FA Cup third round match between Aston Villa and West Ham United will be broadcast on ITV1, reports state.
Coverage of West Ham’s trip to the Midlands starts at 7.30pm on ITV.
Showbiz reporters have confirmed Emmerdale is not impacted and will air as usual, adding ‘So it is not a total disaster for soap watchers’.
To wind soap fans up further, the usual Friday episode of Coronation Street actually aired 24 hours ago as a result of the West Ham match with Villa ‘disrupting’ the schedule.
A look at social media shows not even the prospect of some Potter magic seems to be placating soap fans.
All is not lost, though, because those who may be miffed at having missed their Corrie fix can catch up on ITVX.
Are there replays or penalties in Villa vs West Ham FA Cup clash?
No, FA Cup replays have been removed from the competition from the first round proper onwards as of the start of this season.
The governing body highlighted ‘player welfare’ and a ‘congested calendar’ were partly behind the reason for their decisions.
So if West Ham’s trip to Aston Villa is level after 90 minutes it will go straight into extra-time.
If the Hammers and Villans still cannot be separated then penalties will decide the contest.
West Ham and Aston Villa team news
Emerson Palmieri is a doubt for West Ham while Jean-Clair Todibo is likely to be missing having picked up yet another injury in the defeat at Man City.
Łukasz Fabiański is available for selection after complete concussion protocols.
Captain Jarrod Bowen is out until early February with a broken foot while Michail Antonio is out for the season.
For Aston Villa, John McGinn was withdrawn after just 19 minutes during the 2-1 victory over Leicester City at the weekend after tweaking his hamstring and is unlikely to feature against the Hammers.
West Ham will be relieved that summer target Jhon Duran misses the game through suspension.
Pau Torres is absent for two months after breaking his foot against Brighton while Diego Carlos is also facing a battle to be fit.
Top Villa star Morgan Rogers returns after a ban.
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