Graham Potter's West Ham Debut Ends in Disappointment as Villa Advance

Aston Villa produced a stunning second-half comeback to defeat West Ham 2-1 in the FA Cup, spoiling Graham Potter's debut as Hammers manager.

Aston Villa staged a remarkable comeback to eliminate West Ham from the FA Cup, securing a 2-1 victory on Friday. The match marked Graham Potter's debut as West Ham manager, following his appointment on Thursday.

West Ham initially took the lead in the ninth minute through Lucas Paqueta's goal, putting pressure on the home side. However, Aston Villa rallied in the second half, scoring two crucial goals to overturn the deficit and advance to the next round.

Graham Potter's first match in charge of West Ham ultimately ended in disappointment, despite the promising start. Potter replaced Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked earlier in the week after a brief six-month tenure. The loss marks a challenging beginning to Potter's West Ham career.

Aston Villa staged a second-half comeback to overcome a stubborn Chelsea side, with Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers scoring crucial goals. Onana equalized in the second period, canceling out Chelsea's earlier lead, before Rogers netted the winner, leaving Chelsea manager Graham Potter frustrated.

Morgz ⚽️
Ollie 🅰️pic.twitter.com/DNha7Q8o7q

— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) January 10, 2025

Chelsea's dominance in the first half gave way to a resurgent Aston Villa performance after the break. Villa's improved display was richly rewarded as they turned the match around to secure a hard-fought victory. The win was a testament to Villa's resilience and determination.

In the day's earlier FA Cup fixture, Wycombe Wanderers secured a comfortable 2-0 victory over Portsmouth. Both Aston Villa and Wycombe Wanderers will now eagerly await the draw for the fourth round of the FA Cup to discover their next opponents.