Graham Potter makes Aston Villa comment after taking West Ham job before FA Cup tie

Aston Villa welcome West Ham United to Villa Park for the FA Cup third round on Friday night - and the Irons will be under the management of Graham Potter for the very first time. Potter, of Solihull, has been unveiled as the successor to the sacked Julen Lopetegui, who was removed from his post on Wednesday after just half a season in charge.

Potter has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in 2023 and although he has been linked with a multitude of clubs and vacancies in the meantime, he has held out for what he believes is the right opportunity. West Ham have secured his services on a two-and-a-half year deal.

First up is a trip to Villa, the first of two trips this month to B6 with West Ham also pencilled in to visit in the Premier League later in January. Potter, who previously played for Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion during his career prior to moving into management, considers Villa's home a place he enjoys visiting.

"It's a fantastic game," Potter said. "Villa Park is always a great place to go. It's an opportunity for us to learn about the team, to try and prepare the team in not so much time, but nevertheless we're going to prepare to win, to go through to the next round - that's the aim.

"My impression of the fans is one that is incredibly loyal and passionate, they're knowledgable, they know the game and they know their football and what they like. I've had a huge respect for them as a competitor. I'm looking forward to getting to know them as the West Ham family and I'll do my best to put out a team they recognise and that they're proud of."

What will the score be when Villa host West Ham? Tell us HERE

The latest Villa headlines sent straight to your phone

Join our Aston Villa WhatsApp group and get the latest breaking news, interviews and opinion sent straight to your phone, plus matchday team news and live updates of all the action. Just click on this link and select ‘Join Community’ to get started. The only proviso is that you must have WhatsApp on your phone to participate. It's a free service. No one will be able to see your personal information and you will only receive messages from our Villa writers.

We will not spam your WhatsApp feed with constant messages, but you will receive updates from us daily with the latest Villa news. If you later decide to opt out, just go to the name at the top of your screen and click 'Exit Group'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. Click here to read our Privacy Notice