Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker agree on Freddie Potts after ‘brilliant’ West Ham scenes
Freddie Potts starred as West Ham beat Newcastle 3-1 on Sunday.
Potts earned rave reviews away from West Ham, in a loan spell with Championship outfit Portsmouth, last season.
He was primed to break out as the next West Ham academy graduate to make the step up to the Premier League, but his chances had been limited.
Nuno Espirito Santo decided to give Potts his first Hammers league start in a crucial clash, and the decision paid off.
Freddie Potts leaves Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker blown away after West Ham vs Newcastle
Potts asserted himself as a real option for West Ham in the win, and he left two iconic figures of the British game stunned.
Alan Shearer and Gary Lineker were blown away by the 22-year-old’s performance in the London Stadium victory.
Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast on 3 November, Shearer said: “The young boy, Freddie Potts, making his first Premier League start…
“To put him in, in a pressurised situation like it was and for him to stand out like he did, he got Man of the Match, he was brilliant, he was, really stood out.”
Lineker agreed with him, saying: “Totally agree with that, but for a toenail, he would have scored.”
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Why Potts is the future for West Ham
His showing against the Magpies proved that Potts is ready to become a regular for the Irons.
They need somebody who understands the club and has the energy and dynamism to make Nuno’s side click.
Potts is exactly that, and the numbers from the victory prove it.
The young midfielder made four tackles and six clearances, per Sofascore, constantly trying to stop Eddie Howe’s side from getting near his team’s goal.
He was also composed on the ball, completing 33 of his 39 attempted passes, for an 84 per cent success rate.
Potts and Mateus Fernandes’ presence in the engine room gave the Hammers something that they have lacked all season so far, an intensity and drive to their game.
Nuno must take notice of the performance, and hand the Rush Green ace more opportunities as he looks to get out of the relegation danger that he currently finds himself in.
He may have the solution right under his nose, Shearer and Lineker can see it, surely the Portuguese boss can as well.
If he cannot, then he may be doomed to take the E20 club down to the Championship.
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