Credit: Imago

Samuel Fabre

Tue 31 March 2026 7:10, UK

Freddie Potts could be key in West Ham United‘s FA Cup quarter-final against Leeds United at the London Stadium on Sunday.

The Hammers have been fully focused on avoiding Premier League relegation for several months, but they have a great chance to play at Wembley if they beat Leeds.

Although they lost to the Whites at Elland Road in November, West Ham have improved massively under Nuno Espirito Santo, and they’ll fancy their chances in E20.

West Ham take on Leeds United as they have the chance to make it to the semi-finals of the FA Cup for the first time since 2016, and Potts may have a huge part to play at the London Stadium.

Why Freddie Potts must start in West Ham vs Leeds FA Cup clash

The 22-year-old has been a breakout star for West Ham, starting 12 games in the top flight in 2025-26.

In the Premier League this season, Potts has completed nearly 84 per cent of his passes, and although he was subbed off at half-time in the last game against Villa, he brings a lot of quality on the ball for the Hammers.

Although he completed all 24 of his attempted passes in the 2-0 loss to Aston Villa before the international break, he failed to make a tackle or a block as the Hammers struggled to grab a foothold in the match.

The Sofascore graphic below shows how poor he was at Villa Park, although Nuno may turn to him for this weekend’s FA Cup quarter-final clash with Leeds on Sunday.

Daniel Farke’s side play in a 3-5-2 formation, congesting the centre of the pitch so opposition teams can’t play through them.

Therefore, the Hammers may start Potts alongside Tomas Soucek and Mateus Fernandes to ensure they don’t lose the midfield battle.

And although he hasn’t been at his best in recent weeks, Potts’ ceiling is incredibly high in E20.

Why Potts has a huge future ahead of him at West Ham

Potts has been impressive for West Ham at times this season, breaking into the first team and becoming a key part of their midfield under Nuno.

Loan spells at Wycombe and Portsmouth over the past two years have fast-tracked his development massively.

In the Championship last season, Potts created 33 chances and completed 980 successful passes, showcasing his quality on the ball.

However, there have been several moments where Potts has looked out of his depth, and his first-half performance against Villa was one of his worst.

At just 22 years old, he has a lot of room to grow, and he needs some of the senior players in the squad to exert leadership and help him during tough moments.

Once that happens, the academy graduate can be a top player for the Hammers in the years to come.