West Ham United sack manager Graham Potter, Nuno Espirito Santo rumours

West Ham United have sacked manager Graham Potter, the Premier League club said on Saturday, with the team languishing 19th on the table with three points from five matches.

"Results and performances over the course of the second half of last season and the start of the 2025-26 season have not matched expectations, and the board of directors believe that a change is necessary in order to help improve the team's position in the Premier League as soon as possible," West Ham said in a statement.

The London club have made a dismal start to the campaign, suffering a 5-1 home defeat by Chelsea, a 3-0 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur and an opening 3-0 defeat by promoted Sunderland before losing 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace last Saturday.

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West Ham have conceded 13 goals in the five games, the highest tally among Premier League teams.

FANS PROTEST

Before the defeat by Palace, thousands of West Ham fans protested against the way the club is being run with much of their ire focused on chairman David Sullivan and vice chairman Karren Brady.

Former Brighton and Hove Albion manager Potter was sacked by Chelsea in 2023 and appointed by West Ham in January to replace Julen Lopetegui.

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However, West Ham won only five of their 20 Premier League games under the Englishman to finish 14th last season.

The 50-year-old is the first West Ham manager to fail to get into double figures on points in his first 10 home Premier League games.

PLAYER EXODUS

The club lost a number of experienced players in the summer transfer window, with Aaron Cresswell, Vladimir Coufal, Danny Ings, Michail Antonio and Kurt Zouma departing.

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Forward Mohammed Kudus joined London rivals Tottenham in a deal worth around $110 million.

West Ham only invested $143m on on their squad, with fullback El Hadji Malick Diouf, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen and striker Callum Wilson among the acquisitions.

Potter is the second Premier League manager to lose his job this season after Nuno Espirito Santo left Nottingham Forest.

The Portuguese - who was replaced by Australian Ange Postecoglou at Forest - is among the names being touted as Potter's replacement.

West Ham face Everton away on Tuesday (AEST) when they will be up against their former manager David Moyes, who left in 2024 despite leading the club to the UEFA Conference League title, their first major silverware for 43 years.

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