New West Ham United manager Graham Potter oversees his first game in charge of the club on Friday as the Irons travel to Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round.
The inevitable was finally formalized this week when Julen Lopetegui was sacked after a very disappointing start to the campaign. The Spaniard was quickly replaced by former Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion boss Potterwho has been unemployed since April 2023.
West Ham have confirmed Potter will be in charge of Friday’s trip to the Midlands in the FA Cup and will be a tough task on his Hammers debut. The capital side have conceded nine in their last two games and lost on matchday one to Villa in Lopetegui’s first competitive game in August.
Villa’s form has not been flawless in recent weeks, but they triumphed in their 2025 bow against struggling Leicester City. Leon Bailey’s winner ended a two-game winless streak and lifted Unai Emery’s team to eighth in the Premier League table.
here it is 90 minutes guide to a Premier League affair in the FA Cup third round
Aston Villa vs West Ham H2H Record (Last Five Matches)
Current form (all competitions)
|
Aston Villa |
West Ham |
|---|---|
|
Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester – 04/01/25 |
Man City 4-1 West Ham – 25/01/04 |
|
Aston Villa 2-2 Brighton – 30/12/24 |
West Ham 0-5 Liverpool – 29/12/24 |
|
Newcastle 3-0 Aston Villa – 26/12/24 |
Southampton – West Ham 0-1 – 26/12/24 |
|
Aston Villa 2-1 Man City – 21/12/24 |
West Ham 1-1 Brighton – 21/12/24 |
|
Nottingham Forest 2-1 Aston Villa – 14/12/24 |
Bournemouth 1-1 West Ham – 16/12/24 |
|
country |
TV channel/live broadcast |
|---|---|
|
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 |
Village will be without the services of John McGinn on Friday evening, with the influential midfielder currently out with a hamstring injury. against Leicester last time out
The Villans are also a little short at center. Pau Torres is missing with one foot injury he was picked up in the last game of last year, while Diego Carlos, who has been linked with a January move, is doubtful to feature.
Jhon Duran serves his last game three match suspension for red card bounced back in the recent defeat to Newcastle United in the Premier League. In better news, Morgan Rogers returns from his one-game suspension.
The third round of the FA Cup usually brings about radical changes for Premier League teams and Villa may take this opportunity to allow some players to rest. However, they cannot afford to make too many changes against top-tier opposition.
Aston Villa’s predicted line-up against West Ham (4-2-3-1): Martinez; Bogarde, Konsa, Mings, Maatsen; Look, Tielemans; Bailey, Buendia, Rogers; Watkins.
Potter will choose his first West Ham from XI on Friday and is unlikely to make too many changes to the family set-up. The Englishman does have several injuries that limit his selection, however.
Jarrod Bowen is the Hammers’ most notable absentee, with the energetic winger fracturing his foot during the Defeat 5-0 against Liverpool. He joins teammate Michail Antonio in the treatment room, with the Jamaica international recovering from a broken leg he suffered in a car accident.
Lukasz Fabianski has missed the last few games with a head injury and will be absent again on Friday, so Alphonse Areola will start between the sticks. Emerson was absent for the defeat to Manchester City last time out and remains a doubt for Friday, while Jean-Clair Todibo was withdrawn through injury at the Etihad Stadium and could be unavailable.
West Ham’s predicted line-up against Aston Villa (4-2-3-1): Areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Kilman, Wan-Bissaka; Soucek, Alvarez; Kudus, Paqueta, Summerville; Full circle.
Potter will have had incredibly limited interaction with his new team ahead of Friday’s game and there is unlikely to be any significant improvement at Villa Park. It can prove to be an educational encounter for the 49-year-old, even a likely defeat.
Villa have a solid record at home this season and are unlikely to field a completely changed XI for the visit of West Ham. Should Emery select a strong line-up, the Midlands outfit should have little trouble navigating Friday’s affair and securing their place in the fourth round.
