---
title: "Steven Gerrard could drop Danny Ings against West Ham"
canonical: "https://readastonvilla.com/2022/08/27/steven-gerrard-could-drop-danny-ings-against-west-ham/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Crippy Cooke"
section: "Aston Villa News"
published: "2022-08-27T20:17:06Z"
modified: "2022-08-27T20:17:12Z"
---

# Steven Gerrard could drop Danny Ings against West Ham

Aston Villa welcome West Ham United to Villa Park on Sunday afternoon and Steven Gerrard has a difficult decision to make in attack – drop Danny Ings or Ollie Watkins?

Leon [Bailey](https://readastonvilla.com/2022/08/24/leon-bailey-sure-to-face-west-ham-after-bolton-performance-aston-villa/)and Emiliano [Buendia](https://readastonvilla.com/2022/08/24/emiliano-buendia-created-as-many-chances-as-philippe-coutinho-v-bolton-efl-cup-aston-villa/)are expected to start on opposing flanks after impressing in Tuesday’s EFL Cup win over Bolton Wanderers, but that would mean a striker must be dropped to accompany them as Gerrard will need a three-man midfield for balance.

Ings scored and made an assist [against Bolton](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1680723/LiveStatistics/England-League-Cup-2022-2023-Bolton-Aston-Villa), but he could be the one to lose his place as Watkins is a better lone striker – he’s a better creator and superior in possession. Ings has scored one goal with zero assists in the league [this season](https://www.whoscored.com/Teams/24/Show/England-Aston-Villa) while Watkins has one goal and two assists.

Ings averages 11.7 passes per game to Watkins’ 18 with a completion ratio of 77.1% to his 81.5% while creating just one chance to his three. Ings averages a shot off target every 56 minutes to Watkins’ 204, so the former is also more wasteful.

And the fact Watkins has tripled Ings’ goal output this season should clinch it.

***[In other news, Steven Gerrard could drop Philippe Coutinho for Emiliano Buendia against West Ham](https://readastonvilla.com/2022/08/27/steven-gerrard-could-drop-philippe-coutinho-for-emiliano-buendia-against-west-ham/)***