West Ham, Graham Potter
(Credit: Imago)
Evan Lloyd
Sat 23 August 2025 15:40, UK
Graham Potter is in serious danger of becoming the first Premier League manager to get the sack this season already.
West Ham were crushed 5-1 by Chelsea on Friday, 22 August, despite taking the lead early on through a brilliant Lucas Paqueta strike.
The loss came following an embarrassing opening day, when Potter’s side were smashed 3-0 by Sunderland at The Stadium of Light.
Potter has the lowest points per game record of any West Ham manager in Premier League history, and could now be in big trouble should results not improve imminently.
Graham Potter West Ham
Potter is facing the sack at West Ham (Credit: Imago)
Graham Potter could be sacked during the second international break
West Ham have endured two difficult fixtures to begin the Premier League season, and it won’t get much easier over the next month.
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A trip away to Wolves in the Carabao Cup is up next, before the Hammers travel to Nottingham Forest, who got off to a superb start to the season against Brentford, as they look to build on a strong last season.
Then, West Ham welcome Tottenham, who look revitalised under new head coach Thomas Frank.
Last season’s FA Cup winners will not provide a much easier opponent, although Crystal Palace have lost main man Eberechi Eze.
West Ham’s next six fixtures Date
Wolves (A) – Carabao Cup 26 August
Nottingham Forest (A) -Premier League 31 August
Tottenham (H) – Premier League 13 September
Crystal Palace (H) – Premier League 20 September
Everton (A) – Premier League 29 September
Arsenal (A) – Premier League 4 October
A trip to Everton’s new ground, The Hill Dickinson Stadium, will follow, before a difficult fixture against Premier League title-chasers Arsenal at The Emirates Stadium.
On paper, West Ham cannot mark themselves down as favourites for any of the five league fixtures, and could well sit bottom of the Premier League before the second international break.
Decision-makers at The London Stadium could then find themselves in a difficult position, stuck between wanting to avoid another managerial sacking and averting the potential risk of relegation.
A change in the dugout could be enforced, however, with the pressure in East London already ready to reach boiling point.
Graham Potter on ‘borrowed time’ at West Ham
It would be easy to forget the position West Ham were in when the decision was taken not to renew David Moyes’ contract at the end of the 2023/24 season.
The Hammers had finished ninth in the Premier League, having also reached the quarter-final stage of the Europa League.
Just over a year later, West Ham face another managerial crisis. Speaking on BBC 5 Live on 23 August, Stephen Warnock said Potter is on “borrowed time.”
“I really do fear for him,” said the former England international. “I think there’s a lot of West Ham fans now will be thinking ‘not good enough’.
“And when you get your fans walking out of a ground so so early – that’s not just because of this season, that’s an overspill of last season – I think he’s not far off borrowed time.”
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