Sports Desk, Oct. 31 (EFE).- West Ham notched its third consecutive win - this one a road 4-1 victory over Aston Villa - on Sunday and are now nicely positioned in the No. 4 spot in the tightly-packed upper echelon of the Premier League table in the 10th week of play, not to mention further improving their chances to participate in Champions League play.

David Moyes squad remains in good form and is sitting pretty despite the threat posed by Manchester United and Arsenal, both of whom also aspire to one of the four top slots in Champions competition.

It was West Ham's sixth win against a rival - coached by Dean Smith - who seemed unable to do much other than frantically pass the ball around, going down to its fourth consecutive defeat with just 10 points and nearing the relegation threshold, which is now just three points away.

It was Ben Johnson who got West Ham out in front in the seventh minute on a pass from Declan Rice, and although the hosts took about half an hour to bring things even at 1-1 with an Ollie Watkins tally, Rice brought the team ahead once again just four minutes later shortly before the break.

When play resumed, Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa was red-carded in the 50th minute for denying a goalscoring opportunity and things imploded for the home squad, with West Ham using their one-man advantage to the fullest as Spain's Pablo Fornals and then Jarrod Bowen found the twine in the 80th and 84th minute, respectively.

League leader Chelsea is now followed by Liverpool, and two points behind is Manchester City, who is tied in points with the West Ham but ahead in the rankings. Moyes' boys are three points ahead of Manchester United and Arsenal, who are fifth and sixth on the table.

Meanwhile, in Sunday Premier League action, Leeds United got a 2-1 road victory against Norwich - which is still winless and at the bottom of the table - on goals by Brazil's Raphina on a pass from Daniel James and then a long but accurate shot by Spanish striker Rodrigo Moreno on a nice pass from Kelvin Phillips after the home team's Andrew Omobamidele beat netminder Illan Meslier.

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