Nuno Espirito Santo picked the same starting XI against Aston Villa as he did against Manchester City last week.
His players were excellent in the 1-1 draw against City, so they deserved another chance to get a result against a top-six side.
However, Nuno was forced to make a change to the line-up just 10 minutes before kick-off at Villa Park.
This turned out to be a significant mistake which immediately put West Ham under pressure from the home team.
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Nuno Espirito Santo, manager of West Ham United, looks on during the Premier League match between Aston Villa and West Ham United at Villa Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom, on March 22, 2026. Sweden's coach Graham Potter arrives on the pitch prior to the FIFA World Cup 2026 European qualification Group B football match between Sweden and Slovenia, in Solna on November 18, 2025.
Nuno Espirito Santo made Freddie Potts mistake before kick-off
Central defender Jean-Clair Todibo had to be replaced after suffering an injury in the pre-match warm-up.
Max Kilman would have been the obvious replacement, allowing West Ham to continue with a back three.
Alternatively, Nuno could have brought Adama Traore into the fold and opted for an attacking 4-4-2 formation.
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Instead, the Portuguese manager added Freddie Potts to the midfield alongside Tomas Soucek and Mateus Fernandes.
Be honest – is Freddie Potts good enough to start? 🤔
Potts struggled against Aston Villa…
Freddie Potts of West Ham United during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United
Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images
Unfortunately, despite the extra midfielder, Villa consistently penetrated West Ham’s defence and created chances.
Meanwhile, when the Hammers had the ball, Potts did not provide any control or creativity to vindicate his inclusion.
Nuno effectively admitted his mistake when he brought Adama on for Potts at half-time after an uninspiring first 45 minutes.
West Ham were slightly better in the second half, but it was too little too late to turn the game around at Villa Park.
Hopefully, Nuno has now learned that a three-man midfield does not get the best out of the team, especially if Potts is involved.
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