In his first game since war broke out in his native Ukranian, an emotional Andriy Yarmolenko scored for the Hammers in their win against Villa at the London Stadium.
Yarmolenko pointed to the sky before wiping away tears as he was mobbed by his team-mates following his 70th-minute strike, which broke the stalemate, as he was the most popular player in the game.
The goal was a welcome boost for the Hammers, with the afternoon threatening to be a damaging one following the injuries to Antonio and Cresswell.
The three points were secured thanks to a brilliant run through the Villa middle by Declan Rice.
Villa had been toothless up until that point but finally raised their game after Fornals strike, and Jacob Ramsey ensured it was a nervy final few minutes for the Hammers after he delicately sent a shot into the top corner from the edge of the area after good work.
It was too little too late for Steven Gerrard's side, who missed the chance to tighten their grip on ninth place, while West Ham closed the gap on fourth-placed Manchester United to just two points.
Lucas Digne had to be replaced early on in the game due to injuries, and the first half was mostly notable for the number of injuries.
The fitness issues continued in the second period thanks to Antonio and Cresswell, who may now present David Moyes with a headaches ahead of his side's Europa League second leg at home to Sevilla on Thursday.
Danny Ings thought he had opened the scoring for Villa when he shot from a low corner, but his shot was saved by Lukasz Fabianski, who tipped the ball onto the post.
After Kurt Zouma was denied by an equally impressive effort from the opposite number, Craig Dawson somehow turned the rebound over the bar from inside the six-yard box.
Yarmolenko showed his team-mate how it was done when he controlled Benrahma's pass and then steered an effort into the bottom corner in what was a welcome return for the winger after more than a month on the sidelines.
West Ham: Fabianski (7), Johnson (6), Dawson (6), Zouma (7), Cresswell (7), Soucek (6), Rice (7), Lanzini (6), Fornals (7), Antonio (6), Benrahma (8)
Subs: Fredericks (6), Yarmolenko (8), Diop (6)
Aston Villa: Martinez (6), Cash (6), Chambers (6), Mings (6), Digne (6), McGinn (6), Luiz (6), Ramsey (8), Coutinho (7), Ings (6), Watkins (6)
Subs: Young (6), Bailey (7), Buendia (7)
Man of the match: Andriy Yarmolenko
It was so emotional for Yarmolenko to concentrate on football, because he knew about the situation in his country.
It is difficult for me to think about the football because the Russian army kills Ukrainian people every day. It was very emotional. I don't know what to say.
I would like to say thank you to my team-mates, who support me all the time. I would like to say thank you to British people because we feel your support for the people of Ukranian and Ukrainian origin.
The last few weeks, I trained maybe three or four times. I rested for four days because it was impossible for me to train and I was thinking about my family. I try to give everything I have.
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The games have been coming thick and fast for West Ham as they continue their bid to secure a top-four finish in the premier league.
The Hammers will be in action next week, with Sevilla taking a first-leg lead to the London Stadium on Thursday, before the Hammers travel to London rivals Spurs next Sunday.
Antonio and Cresswell were forced to leave the game against Villa in the second half, and that could be a problem for the manager.
Both players were unable to continue despite receiving treatment on the field, while Rice was also seen hobbling around in the middle of the game.
Even though Antonio scored just once in his eight appearances against Villa, his injury may leave him regretting his reliance on the Jamaica international, as well as his inability to sign a new forward in the January transfer window.
West Ham will surely be hoping that their lack of rotation across competitions doesn't compromise their efforts at home and in Europe, as Cresswell had started all but one of those eight games.
West Ham have done the league double over Villa in consecutive campaigns for the first time since the 1960s, when they beat them home and away in 1964-65, 1965-66 and 1966-67.
Only two teams have scored in 100 per cent of their home games this season, and West Ham is one of them. The Hammers have scored in their last 16 home games in the top-flight, the last being between October 1985 and January 1987
Said Benrahma assisted both of West Ham's goals today. He has set up five goals in a single league game in English football and the first since March 2020 in the Championship with Brentford.
The 20-year-old has six goals in the premier league. Gabriel Agbonlahor and Luke Moore are the only Villans who have scored more for the team before their 21st birthday.
Yarmolenko scored the first goal by a Ukrainian in the premier league since July 2020 when he scored against Villa, and the second goal came from the bench at the London Stadium.
Who else? When Yarmolenko replaced the injured Antonio, he provided West Ham with some much needed motivation, and he also provided one of the highlights of the weekend with his goal and emotional celebrations.
The second leg of West Ham's last-16 tie against Sevilla will be played on Thursday at 8pm, with the Hammers looking to overturn a first-leg deficit.
Sky Sports will show the game between the Hammers and Spurs on Sunday at 4.30pm.
The next game for Villa will be on Saturday at 12.30pm.
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