Nuno Espirito Santo was dealt a blow in the build-up to West Ham United’s defeat to Aston Villa when an injury to Jean-Clair Todibo meant he had to change shape.
Indeed, Nuno opted to bring Freddie Potts into the starting lineup as West Ham United lost 2-0 to Aston Villa in what was a hugely disappointing display on Sunday.
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
It was admittedly an enforced change at the last minute but Potts did not impress for West Ham against Villa, in what was a defensively weak display.
Nuno did have other defenders on the bench to replace Todibo but he opted to bring Potts in and bolster his midfield instead.
It didn’t work and Nuno explained his decision after the game.
Nuno felt Potts was a better choice for the team instead of Kilman or Kyle Walker-Peters
Asked why he overlooked the likes of Max Kilman and Kyle Walker-Peters on the bench, Nuno said: “Now you look back and you consider many things.
“We decided this way because we felt it was the best option for the team.”
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
It would perhaps somewhat harsh to be too critical of Nuno here, if the stakes during the final few games of the season were not so incredibly high.
Where would West Ham be right NOW if we hadn’t sacked Graham Potter? 🤔
Let's here your views!
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.
Clearly, being forced into a change so late on is far from ideal and it’s not as if Kilman or Walker-Peters would have inspired much in the way of confidence from supporters.
However, all the defensive solidity that West Ham showed against Manchester City was missing in the Midlands.
Quite whether Kilman or Walker-Peters could have provided that is up for debate, but Potts certainly didn’t.
Aston Villa v West Ham United - Premier League
Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images
That’s not even a huge criticism of the midfielder himself, either. Being thrust into the action at such a late stage cannot have been easy.
Had either Kilman or Walker-Peters played and West Ham lost, Nuno would no doubt have been questioned about that too.
It was an impossible situation to be thrown into just minutes before the game.
The only hope now is that the defeat wasn’t too costly and that the likes of Todibo are fit once the international break is over.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox