New West Ham United manager Graham Potter will oversee his first game in charge of the club on Friday when the Irons take on Aston Villa in the third round of the FA Cup.
The inevitable was finally formalized this week when Julen Lopetegui was sacked after a hugely disappointing start to the campaign. The Spaniard was quickly replaced by former Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion coach Potter, who has been unemployed since April 2023.
West Ham have confirmed that Potter will take charge of their trip to the Midlands in the FA Cup on Friday and it will be a difficult task on his Hammers debut. The capital side have conceded nine goals in their last two games and lost the Premier League clash with Villa in Lopetegui’s first competitive game in August.
Villa’s form has not been flawless in recent weeks, but they triumphed against struggling Leicester City in 2025. Leon Bailey’s winner ended a two-game winning streak and lifted Unai Emery’s side to eighth place in the Premier League table.
Here is 90 minutes Guide to an all-Premier League affair in the FA Cup third round.
Aston Villa vs West Ham H2H record (last five games)
Current form (all competitions)
Aston Villa | West Ham |
|---|---|
Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester – 01/04/25 | Man City 4-1 West Ham – 01/04/25 |
Aston Villa 2-2 Brighton – 30/12/24 | West Ham 0-5 Liverpool – 12/29/24 |
Newcastle 3-0 Aston Villa – 12/26/24 | Southampton 0-1 West Ham – 12/26/24 |
Aston Villa 2-1 Man City – 12/21/24 | West Ham 1-1 Brighton – 12/21/24 |
Nottingham Forest 2-1 Aston Villa – 12/14/24 | Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham – 16/12/24 |
country | TV channel/live stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | ITV 1, ITVX, STV, STV Player, UTV |
United States | ESPN+, ESPN app |
Canada | Sportsnet World Now, Sportsnet Now, Sportsnet East, Sportsnet Ontario, Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet West, Sportsnet World, Sportsnet Now Plus |
Villa will be without the services of John McGinn on Friday evening as the influential midfielder is currently absent due to a hamstring injury sustained in their last game against Leicester.
The Villans are also lacking something in central defense. Pau Torres is missing due to a foot injury sustained in the final game of last year, while Diego Carlos, who has been linked with a January exit, is a doubt.
Jhon Duran is serving the final game of his three-match ban for a red card he picked up in the recent defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League. Pleasingly, Morgan Rogers returns from his one-match suspension.
The third round of the FA Cup usually brings big changes for Premier League teams and Villa could use this opportunity to give some players a break. However, they cannot afford to make too many changes against quality opponents.
Predicted Aston Villa line-up against West Ham (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Bogarde, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Onana, Tielemans; Bailey, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins.
Potter will select his first starting XI for West Ham on Friday and is unlikely to make too many changes to the familiar lineup. However, the Englishman has several injuries that limit his selection.
Jarrod Bowen is the Hammers’ most notable absence. The energetic winger broke his foot in the 5-0 defeat to Liverpool. He accompanies his fellow striker Michail Antonio in the treatment room as the Jamaica international recovers from a broken leg sustained in a car accident.
Lukasz Fabianski has missed the last few games due to a head injury and will be absent again on Friday, leaving Alphonse Areola to start between the sticks. Emerson missed the last defeat to Manchester City and remains a doubt for Friday, while Jean-Clair Todibo was unavailable due to injury at the Etihad Stadium and may not be available.
Predicted West Ham line-up against Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka; Soucek, Alvarez; Kudu, Paqueta, Summerville; Full jug.
Potter had little contact with his new team before Friday’s game and it is unlikely there will be any significant improvements at Villa Park. It could prove to be a learning encounter for the 49-year-old, even with a likely defeat.
Villa have a strong home record this season and are unlikely to field a completely different XI for the visit of West Ham. Should Emery choose a strong line-up, the Midlands side should have no trouble getting things done on Friday and securing their place in the fourth round.