Andy Carroll scores twice as West Ham beats Swansea and Alan Hutton gets winner for Aston Villa

ANDY Carroll scored two headers and assisted a third goal in West Ham’s defeat of 10-man Swansea while Aston Villa also tasted success.

Carroll head boy as West Ham go third

WEST Ham manager Sam Allardyce has hailed Andy Carroll after the striker’s brace in a 3-1 victory over Swansea City fired his side to third place in the Premier League.

Carroll, who missed the first three months of the season with an ankle injury, scored two headers and set up a late goal for substitute Diafra Sakho as West Ham came from behind to win at Upton Park.

Swansea had taken a 19th-minute lead through Wilfried Bony, but they struggled to get to grips with Carroll and finished the game with 10 men after goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski was sent off.

“It is massive for Andy Carroll,” Allardyce said, having seen his side continue their best start to a season since 1999.

West Ham's Andy Carroll celebrates his second goal.

“Movement in the box is what it is all about. The heading in the box only comes after the movement is right and that happened with his two goals.

“He is unstoppable when he gets that space. Hopefully he continues to learn that way.” After Bony had steered home a cut-back from Jefferson Montero, Carroll levelled the scores four minutes before half-time with a towering header from Carl Jenkinson’s right-wing cross.

The one-time England striker met Stewart Downing’s corner with a bullet header to put West Ham ahead in the 66th minute and it was his flick-on that allowed Sakho to run through and smash home West Ham’s third.

Swansea coach Garry Monk indicated that his side would appeal against Fabianski’s 68th-minute dismissal, which came after Sakho had used his left arm to nudge the ball past the onrushing Polish goalkeeper.

Alan Hutton of Villa shoots to score the winning goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Aston Villa and Leicester City at Villa Park.

In the day’s other game, Alan Hutton scored a 71st-minute winner as Aston Villa beat bottom club Leicester City 2-1 to move six points clear of the relegation zone.

Leonardo Ulloa put Leicester in front in the 13th minute after Villa goalkeeper Brad Guzan failed to hold a deflected shot by Riyad Mahrez.

But Ciaran Clark equalised four minutes later when he headed in a free-kick from Ashley Westwood, who was later stretchered off with a knee injury, before Christian Benteke teed up Hutton for the winner.

Leicester had left-back Paul Konchesky sent off with 10 minutes remaining after a clash with Hutton

Originally published as Andy Carroll scores twice as West Ham beats Swansea and Alan Hutton gets winner for Aston Villa