Aston Villa 2-1 West Ham: Graham Potter’s debut ends in FA Cup elimination as quick-fire targets seal comeback for Unai Emery’s stars

Welcome back. Graham Potter has spent nearly two years out of the game and two hours were enough to remind him of exactly what he has been missing.

In his first game in charge of West Ham, Potter watched his players perform impressively for an hour before they ran out of steam and ran out of luck.

A corner that should probably never have been awarded cost Potter’s men greatly as Aston Villa celebrated their 150th anniversary by moving into the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Had he not taken the Chelsea job in September 2022, Potter might be sitting in Unai Emery’s seat now. When Steven Gerrard was struggling, Villa looked closely at Potter, who was then in charge of Brighton. Though the cards fell differently, few doubt Potter’s credentials as a coach and now he has the chance to make up for lost time.

Despite only one training session under Potter, West Ham looked far more tactically sound than under Julen Lopetegui, who was sacked earlier this week. Potter’s fluid formation left Villa puzzled and after Lucas Paqueta had given the visitors the lead, some home fans booed at half-time.

Nobody at Villa regrets missing out on Potter, though. Emery has done fabulous work here and is determined to win a first major trophy since 1996. Though they were poor before the break, Emery found a tune from his team in the end and goals from Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers ensure they will be in the draw.

Graham Potter’s West Ham debut ended in an agonising FA Cup defeat to Aston Villa

Morgan Rogers (right) completed Aston Villa’s comeback in front of a raucous home crowd

West Ham were knocked out of the FA Cup as Aston Villa fought back in the second-half

Villa were knocking at the door ever more loudly when they levelled though West Ham were aghast at how it developed. Onana’s mishit shot appeared to travel out of play without touching a Hammers player yet somehow a corner was awarded, from which the midfielder equalised. With West Ham reeling, Rogers claimed the winner five minutes later and produced a vital block to deny Danny Ings an equaliser in stoppage time.

Rogers was bought on the strength of his performance for Middlesbrough against Villa at this stage of the Cup a year ago and he has become one of the most exciting players in the country.

Though Villa picked a strong team, they could not get going. The visitors’ greater energy was apparent inside the first minute, when Crysencio Summerville burst in off the right flank and found Paqueta in space. The Brazilian took aim from 25 yards and his effort swerved past the post at the last moment, with Robin Olsen beaten.

Olsen was deputising for Emiliano Martinez, who was ruled out with a minor injury. Whenever Martinez does not play Villa look nervous at the back and they duly fell behind in the ninth minute.

The home side lost their shape, allowing Mohammed Kudus to send Summerville scampering clear again on the right. When his cut-back found Paqueta, he produced a precise finish that wrongfooted Olsen and found the bottom corner.

On a freezing evening, Hammers forward Niclas Fullkrug hobbled off with less than 15 minutes gone. The German, who cost £27million last summer, has already missed three months of the campaign with an Achilles injury and looks set for another spell on the sidelines. Not long afterwards Villa lost Ross Barkley, who was replaced by Onana.

Emery’s men were awful for 45 minutes. Simple passes were going astray and oft-rehearsed moves breaking down. When Youri Tielemans overhit a five-yard ball to Leon Bailey, Emery buried his face in his hands.

And when Tielemans and Bailey did combine successfully, there was nobody closing in at the far post when the Jamaican’s low cross eluded Ollie Watkins. No wonder there was a smattering of boos when the half-time whistle sounded.

Villa midfielder Amadou Onana (middle) sparked the hosts comeback in the 71st minute

Hammers forward Niclas Fullkrug was forced off after pulling up with less than 15 minutes gone

Unai Emery watched his side come from behind to secure a win that extends their FA Cup stay

The Hammers suffered a blow at the start of the second half when Summerville, who had been excellent before the break, was replaced by Vladimir Coufal. The Dutchman had been holding his hamstring during the latter stages of the first period.

Villa continued to be untidy. In space inside the box, Ian Maatsen took a wild first-time thrash at Onana’s lofted pass and the travelling fans jeered with delight.

Maatsen was trying his best to turn the tide, however. When his well-struck volley was headed clear by Max Kilman and rebounded into the path of Kudus, the Dutchman chased back 70 yards to stop the counter-attack. Kilman was there again to block Bailey’s shot moments later and Tielemans failed to strike the loose ball cleanly. The misfiring Ollie Watkins prodded tentatively at Matty Cash’s low cross as slowly Villa built momentum.

The impressive Edson Alvarez charged down Tielemans’ drive and Lukasz Fabianski was finally forced into a save when he pushed away Maatsen’s fizzing effort.

Eventually Villa made their pressure count – though they should never have been awarded the corner that brought it as Onana’s shot appeared to go out of play without touching a West Ham player. Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa combined to tee up Maatsen and when Fabianski could not hold his shot, Onana forced it over the line.

The second followed five minutes later. Substitute Emi Buendia sent Watkins racing into space and Rogers’ clever movement bought him the room to turn the ball home at the near post. Villa’s substitutes were making all the running and soon afterwards another, Jacob Ramsey, hit the post from 20 yards. Then Rogers made his crucial intervention to stop Ings taking the tie to extra-time and the West Ham striker sliced over in the final seconds.