Morgan Rogers scored two second-half goals as Aston Villa twice came from behind to beat West Ham and extend their winning run in all competitions to nine matches.
The England midfielder, who had made it 2-2 five minutes in the second half, hammered an unstoppable shot into the top corner with 11 minutes left to put the visitors ahead for the first time in a topsy-turvy encounter.
Struggling West Ham, who were searching for their first victory since 8 November, were gifted an opener after just 29 seconds when Mateus Fernandes dispossessed Ezri Konsa on the edge of the penalty area before beating Marco Bizot with a powerful drive into the top corner from a tight angle.
Konstantinos Mavropanos inadvertently headed John McGinn’s inswinging cross into his own net, while under pressure from Ollie Watkins, to draw Villa level in the ninth minute.
But Nuno Espirito Santo’s side restored their advantage when Jarrod Bowen diverted Freddie Potts’ volley past Bizot to give the Hammers a 2-1 half-time lead.
Unai Emery’s team managed only one shot before the interval, but they restored parity for the second time when Rogers found the bottom corner after West Ham had failed to clear Youri Tielemans’ low cross.
Bowen then had a low, left-footed strike disallowed for offside, before Rogers struck again superbly to move third-placed Villa to within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
West Ham, meanwhile, remain in the relegation zone and could find themselves five points adrift of safety if Leeds beat Brentford in Sunday’s late game.
Aston Villa analysis: Visitors recover from slow start
In-form Villa had won 14 of their past 16 games in all competitions before Sunday’s trip to the capital, but Emery’s side lacked inspiration in a jaded first-half performance at London Stadium.
Despite quickly cancelling out Fernandes’ early opener and enjoying the lion’s share of possession, the visitors failed to register an attempt at goal until the 45th minute, when Rogers sent a curling shot narrowly over the angle between post and bar.
However, when the ball fell to him again five minutes after the restart, the 23-year-old’s aim was true as he steered a calm finish into the bottom corner to swing the pendulum back in Villa’s direction at 2-2.
The rest of the second half was a more open, end-to-end affair as both teams went in search of a third goal, and Villa were fortunate not to fall behind again when Bowen’s neat finish was ruled out for offside.
It was going to take something special for the visitors to extend their remarkable winning run – and Rogers provided it with an outstanding finish which lifts him to five league goals this season, more than any of his team-mates.
Emery’s side face Manchester United, Chelsea and leaders Arsenal before the end of 2025, but they head into that tricky run of fixtures brimming with confidence.
