Graham Potter’s tenure at West Ham began in disappointment as Aston Villa staged a late comeback to secure a 2-1 victory in the FA Cup third round on Friday night.

Appointed just a day earlier to replace Julen Lopetegui, who was dismissed after a brief six-month spell, Potter faced a challenging debut. Despite taking the lead through Lucas Paquetá, West Ham faltered under second-half pressure from Unai Emery’s resurgent Villa.

Amadou Onana’s equaliser and Morgan Rogers’ decisive strike underscored the defensive vulnerabilities Potter must address as he seeks to rejuvenate the Hammers.

Potter, back in management for the first time since his Chelsea departure in April 2023, reflected on the result with frustration but identified positives to build on.

“Overall, I’m disappointed to be out, but there were encouraging signs,” Potter said. “The first half was very strong, but in the second half, Villa pushed us back too much. That’s an area we’ll have to improve.”

Promising start undone by defensive frailty

On a frosty evening at Villa Park, West Ham showed glimpses of attacking verve despite Potter having just one training session to prepare his side. Missing key forwards Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio, they nonetheless made an impressive start.

Lucas Paquetá nearly gave Potter a dream beginning when his early effort from the edge of the area flew narrowly wide. Villa failed to heed the warning, and in the ninth minute, the Brazilian struck.

Crysencio Summerville’s incisive run unsettled Villa’s defence before he slid a precise pass to Paquetá, who slotted past Robin Olsen with a composed finish. Potter’s exuberant celebration underlined the significance of the moment, but the match soon turned against his side.

West Ham suffered a blow when German striker Niclas Füllkrug was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury shortly after the opening goal. Despite Paquetá’s continued menace, forcing Olsen into another save, Villa began to assert themselves after the break.

Villa’s second-half comeback

Villa’s pressure paid off in the 71st minute. From a corner, Tyrone Mings flicked the ball to Ian Maatsen, whose shot was parried by Łukasz Fabiański into the path of Onana, who reacted swiftly to score from close range.

West Ham protested vehemently, arguing that the corner should not have been awarded, as Boubacar Kamara’s initial shot had not appeared to take a deflection. The referee’s decision stood, however, and Villa capitalised on their momentum.

Just five minutes later, the hosts completed their turnaround. Ollie Watkins surged into the West Ham penalty area and squared a perfect pass for Morgan Rogers, who calmly drilled the ball into the bottom corner.

Jacob Ramsey came close to adding a third for Villa, hitting the post, but the damage was already done. West Ham’s spirited first-half performance was undone by their inability to contain Villa’s second-half onslaught.

Potter’s challenge ahead

The defeat highlights the size of the task Potter faces at West Ham. His predecessor, Lopetegui, struggled to build on David Moyes’ Europa Conference League success in 2023, with fan dissatisfaction over style and results lingering.

While West Ham’s attacking potential was evident, defensive frailties and lapses in concentration proved costly. Potter, whose Chelsea tenure was marred by similar challenges despite significant investment, must quickly instil resilience in his new team.

In Friday’s other FA Cup third-round tie, League One side Wycombe Wanderers pulled off a 2-0 upset over Championship club Portsmouth, further underlining the unpredictability of the competition.

Potter will hope his next outing brings better fortune as he works to reshape West Ham’s fortunes both in the Premier League and in future cup campaigns.