Graham Potter’s debut as West Ham manager didn’t go as planned, with his team losing 2-1 to Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round. Aston Villa, celebrating their 150th anniversary, staged a thrilling comeback to secure the win at Villa Park.

Potter, who was appointed just a day before the match to replace Julen Lopetegui, had a promising start. Lucas Paqueta gave West Ham an early lead in the ninth minute after a swift attack. Crysencio Summerville set it up with a sharp run down the right, crossing to Paqueta, who calmly finished into the bottom corner.

However, the night belonged to Villa. It was a special occasion for the club, marking their long history with a vintage black-and-white kit and fireworks before kickoff. Despite struggling for most of the first half and trailing early, Villa found their rhythm after halftime.

The equalizer came in the 71st minute, though not without controversy. A questionable corner led to Andre Onana scoring from close range after West Ham’s goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski failed to handle a low shot cleanly. Just five minutes later, Morgan Rogers sealed the comeback with a clinical finish inside the six-yard box, set up by Ollie Watkins’ run down the left.

Villa fans celebrated the victory as they remembered their past seven FA Cup wins. Manager Unai Emery has his sights set on adding an eighth trophy this season but knows his team must improve to achieve that goal.

For Potter, it was a tough first lesson as West Ham boss. Despite their strong start, his team couldn’t hold onto their lead and allowed Villa to take control. The margin of defeat could have been larger if Villa had capitalized on more chances.

In another FA Cup upset, League One side Wycombe stunned Championship team Portsmouth with a 2-0 victory at Adams Park. Sonny Bradley, a former Portsmouth defender, scored against his old club alongside Brandon Hanlan. Wycombe’s two first-half goals proved enough to eliminate Portsmouth, despite only a small gap in league standings between the teams.

The FA Cup once again proved to be full of surprises and drama as underdogs rose and new beginnings unfolded on the pitch.