Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham: Rogers completes comeback to ruin Potter´s bow

Graham Potter’s first match in charge of West Ham ended in defeat as Aston Villa came from behind to progress into the FA Cup fourth round with a 2-1 victory.

Lucas Paqueta had given the Hammers the lead, but second-half goals from Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers flipped the game on its head.

Paqueta almost got the Potter era off to a lightning-quick start with a stunning chance from range, but it swerved just wide of the far post with just 41 seconds on the clock.

Just eight minutes later, the Brazilian did get West Ham off the mark, dropping back to meet Crysencio Summerville’s squared cross and guiding it into the bottom-right corner.

Villa did not manage a single shot on target in the first half but steadily grew into the game in the second half, getting some luck along the way.

Onana’s skewed shot seemingly flew straight out of play, but the referee awarded a corner. Tyrone Mings flicked it onto Ian Maatsen, whose drilled shot was spilled by Fabianski, and Onana was on hand to fire in the rebound from close range.

Villa got their noses in front just five minutes later, with a blistering counter-attack. Ollie Watkins got the better of Konstantinos Mavropanos to fizz in a low cross, and Rogers was on hand to poke it home.

Jacob Ramsey almost rounded things off in style after Villa caught out their visitors with another quick counter, but his shot from the edge of the area smashed off the woodwork, and the hosts held on through West Ham’s late flurry of chances.

Defeat in the third round. pic.twitter.com/CHlV3sy98g

— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 10, 2025

Data Debrief: Potter left stunned

Potter did not get off to the start he would have been hoping for with West Ham, despite only being in the job since Thursday. Six of the last seven West Ham managers have lost their first game in charge, with Slaven Bilic the exception in July 2015 (Europa League qualifier).

West Ham have been eliminated from the FA Cup in the third round in consecutive seasons for the first time since doing so in 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14.

It was much better reading for Unai Emery, though his side might count themselves lucky to come away with the win having not managed their first shot on target until the 69th minute.

Villa eliminated a Premier League side from the FA Cup for the first time since the 2014-15 semi-final against Liverpool, which was also the last time they came from behind to win a match in the competition.