West Ham Alan Shearer Graham Potter
(Credit: Match of the Day and Imago)
Max Wilkins
Sun 17 August 2025 6:58, UK
Alan Shearer hasn’t held back in his scathing review of West Ham after opening day defeat.
Graham Potter’s men fell to a 3-0 defeat against Sunderland on Saturday (16 August) in a hugely disappointing day for the Hammers.
Against a newly promoted side, fans expected much better from the Irons, with El Hadji Malick Diouf being the only positive for West Ham in the North-East.
That wasn’t enough to change the perspective of Alan Shearer, who was far from complimentary when discussing the claret and blue outfit’s performance.
West Ham boss Graham Potter
Graham Potter and West Ham faced defeat against Sunderland (Credit: Imago)
Shearer slams West Ham for Sunderland showing
It appears that a divide is already forming in the dressing room with Jarrod Bowen aiming a dig at his teammates in his post-match interview.
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This won’t represent good news for the East Londoners, especially if their showcase against the Black Cats is anything to go by.
Stat Sunderland West Ham
Possession 37 63
Accurate passes 250 468
Big chances 2 0
Expected goals 0.68 0.56
Sunderland had more chances despite West Ham’s possession
There is no getting away from the fact that the performance at the Stadium of Light was dreadful, and the result was perfectly fair for both sides.
This could see Potter already be in trouble at West Ham, something which Shearer has since echoed on Match of the Day (16 August).
He said: “I would be [concerned]. That’s Graham Potter’s biggest defeat as West Ham manager. They haven’t replaced Kudus, two new players in the starting lineup.
“Callum Wilson came on, but Bowen was their main threat, particularly in the first half. The second half would be the one to worry about because, once they conceded that first goal, they folded like a pack of cards.
“There was no spark, no energy, and there was certainly no reaction at all, and that would be the worrying thing already.”
Graham Potter West Ham
Graham Potter is already under pressure at West Ham (Credit: Imago)
Potter could break Frank de Boer sack record
In the world of football right now, loyalties are unlikely to represent much good, especially with relegation from the Premier League on the line.
This could prove to be bad news for Potter after the defensive collapse against Sunderland when it comes to his future job prospects.
Given how abject the performance was against the Mackems, there could be a chance of a quick sack decision from David Sullivan in E20.
If the level on show at the Stadium of Light is replicated in the weeks to come, the Englishman could be sacked in record time.
This could see Potter be moved on in a similar fashion to De Boer at Crystal Palace, who was ejected after just four games in charge at Selhurst Park back in 2017.
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