Graham Potter admitted that even after nearly two years away from management, nothing can replicate the punch in the stomach of the opposition scoring as his West Ham side crashed out of the FA Cup to Aston Villa in his first game in charge.
The new Hammers boss watched his side concede twice in five second-half minutes as Amadou Onana and Morgan Rogers overturned Lucas Paqueta’s early strike to put Villa into the fourth round.
Potter returned to the dugout for the first time since being sacked as Chelsea boss in April 2023 after he replaced Julen Lopetegui on Thursday.