Freddie Potts began a new chapter in his career on Sunday, marking a significant milestone for the football academy graduate. The young midfielder made his first Premier League start at the London Stadium against Newcastle United, his first game in charge of Nuno Espirito Santo's management, and his first home game since February, in a 3-1 victory for West Ham.  

West Ham United fell behind early in the game, with Jacob Murphy scoring the opening goal for the visitors. However, this goal seemed to ignite their fighting spirit, and Lucas Paquetá equalized with his third goal of the season. In the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time, an own goal by Sven Botman put West Ham ahead.  

West Ham United experienced several close calls as the match neared its end. Freddie Potts almost capped off his Premier League debut with a brilliant goal, but it was disallowed for offside. Then, substitute Thomas Soucek nearly scored late in the game, securing three valuable points for his team and ensuring West Ham face Burnley with confidence next weekend.  

Freddie Potts and Matthäus Fernández impressed fans with their solid performance in midfield. The 22-year-old was proud of his performance and expressed his gratitude for the starting opportunity.  

After the match, Freddie Potts said: "I just want to fight for the shirt, that's absolutely true. You have to give it your all on the pitch and prove to the coach and everyone that you deserve to stay here and play in the Premier League. I just want to fight for every ball and give my all for the team, and I think the whole team did that today."  

“I think it wasn’t just me, many players gave their all. Everyone fought for this shirt and ultimately won three points, which is well deserved. Today everyone showed that we have the ability and courage to bounce back from past difficulties, especially against a team with such a strong attack like Newcastle United, we were still able to win the game.”  

“We absolutely have the ability to fight back and win games, and we proved that today. The team showed fighting spirit and desire, and I think everyone gave their all, which is very commendable. As for the goal that was ruled offside, I didn’t notice it at the time. To be honest, I didn’t know it was disallowed until someone reminded me after the game.”  

Freddie Potts was named Man of the Match for his outstanding performance, receiving a thunderous ovation from the home fans who chanted "We're Ones" throughout the stadium. Potts expressed his gratitude to the fans for their support and encouragement in East London.  

He added, "I'm very happy to hear the fans' support, and I'm grateful for that. But in a game, you have to focus on your own task. Today our goal was to play the game and get three points. After the game, I enjoyed the feeling, but on the court, I only focused on each task and tried my best to contribute to the team. I think our whole team did that today."